Sarah Elfreth

Sarah Elfreth was born in New Jersey in 1988. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Towson University in 2010 and a master's degree in public policy from Johns Hopkins University in 2012. Elfreth's career experience includes working as government affairs director with National Aquarium, as an adjunct professor at Towson University's Honors College, and as senior director of university projects with Margrave Strategies. She served in the Maryland Senate from 2019 to 2025.[1][2][3]

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Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased March 23, 2024

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Sarah Elfreth broke a glass ceiling in 2018, becoming the youngest woman elected to the State Senate in Maryland history. But Sarah isn’t about headlines – she has built a reputation as one of the most effective legislators in the State. Over the course of her first five years in office, she passed 84 bills into law on issues that actually impact Maryland families – protecting the Chesapeake Bay, strengthening the economy, expanding prenatal care, and helping veterans with PTSD. Sarah isn’t one for slogans – she works to do what is right.

Sarah is known for bringing everyone to the table to solve problems. At the beginning of her second term, Sarah was appointed to an important leadership position in the Senate’s budget committee, overseeing tens of billions of dollars of taxpayer investments in transportation, environmental, and public safety programs. Sarah is also a leader outside of the Senate. As a member of the tri-state Chesapeake Bay Commission, she helps coordinate State and federal efforts to clean up the Bay.

The Maryland Military Coalition, the Park Rangers, the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition, Preservation Maryland, and the Maryland Library Association have named Sarah "legislator of the year."

The National Education Association, League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, International Association of Fire Fighters, and other grassroots organizations have endorsed Sarah's campaign for Congress.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Sarah knows healthcare decisions are between you and your doctor – not elected officials or judges. In the Maryland Senate, Sarah proudly voted to expand access to reproductive healthcare and co-sponsored a constitutional amendment to enshrine reproductive freedom as a fundamental right in Maryland’s State Constitution. On Capitol Hill, Sarah will fight to make Roe v Wade the law of the land again and take on extremists who want to enforce a national abortion ban and prohibit IVF.Sarah beat an NRA-backed Republican to become the youngest woman in Maryland history elected to the State Senate, where she became a champion for keeping our communities safe from gun violence. In the Maryland Senate, she helped pass laws prohibiting individuals from carrying firearms in public places like schools, restaurants, and churches. She voted to ban ghost guns, increase penalties for illegal possession of firearms, and ensure gun owners properly store firearms unloaded and away from children. On Capitol Hill, she will fight to ban assault weapons, expand background checks, and crack down on illegal firearms in our communities.Sarah earned the endorsement of the League of Conservation Voters and Sierra Club, and Maryland Matters described Sarah as “one of the leading environmentalists in the legislature.” She passed laws to increase the oyster population, invest in clean energy jobs, protect our communities from flooding and rising sea levels, and encourage private sector investment in restoring the Bay. On Capitol Hill, she will fight for climate justice, to speed our transition to clean energy, to help communities become more resilient to climate change, and to protect the Bay and its watershed.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Sarah is known for bringing everyone together around the table to talk about difficult issues, forge consensus, and make progress for Marylanders. As an appropriator, she is a good steward of taxpayer dollars and is committed to holding government officials accountable for faithfully implementing the laws passed by the legislator. She is widely known as one of the most effective environmentalists in the legislature, and has been hailed for her work to protect the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and to make communities more resilient to climate change.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Former United States Senator Barbara A. Mikulski. She broke a glass ceiling by becoming the first woman elected to the Senate in her own right, and she spent her career fighting for working families across the nation and right here in Maryland.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Sarah believes a good representative is deeply rooted in their community and responsive to their community's needs. In her case, that means going above and beyond the job description and working directly with communities affected by flooding and tornadoes to get the help they need from federal, state, and local officials. Sarah also believe it is important to listen to all sides of an issue in order to build consensus and make progress for the people she serves.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

National Education Association, League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, International Association of Fire Fighters, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Baltimore Metro Council of the International Longshoremen's Association, SEIU Local 500.

More than 25 current and former federal, state, and local elected officials including Anne Arundel County Executive Stueart Pittman, State Senators Pam Beidle and Dawn Gile, and members of the Maryland House of Delegates, Anne Arundel County Council, and Anne Arundel County Board of Education.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Sarah strongly supports financial transparency and government accountability. She is a member of the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee, where she chairs the subcommittee that oversees approximately one-third of the State's budget, focused on its investments in transportation, public safety, and the environment. She uses this position to hold government officials accountable. Sarah also chaired the oversight committee tasked with protecting the integrity of the 2020 elections in Maryland.

Campaign website

Elfreth's campaign website stated the following:

Rebuilding the Key Bridge

Baltimore’s economic reality changed in an instant when a massive container ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which then collapsed into the Patapsco River. The Port generates 15,300 direct jobs and supports another 140,000. Sarah knows we must invest in the Port, support the workers and businesses affected by the collapse, and mitigate the environmental impact of the disaster. In the Maryland Senate, she is fighting for emergency temporary relief for affected workers. On Capitol Hill, she will work with her colleagues in the Maryland Delegation to ensure Congress honors President Biden’s commitment to building a new bridge where the Key Bridge once stood.

Defending Choice

Sarah believes healthcare decisions should be between you and your doctor – not elected officials or judges. In the Maryland Senate, Sarah proudly voted to expand access to reproductive healthcare and co-sponsored a constitutional amendment to enshrine reproductive freedom as a fundamental right in Maryland’s State Constitution. On Capitol Hill, Sarah will fight to make Roe v Wade the law of the land again and take on extremists who want to enforce a national abortion ban and prohibit IVF. Sarah is proud to support Amendment 1 – The Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment in Maryland. That’s why Sarah has been endorsed by Reproductive Freedom for All and EMILY’s List.

Combating the Epidemic of Gun Violence

Sarah beat an NRA-backed Republican to become the youngest woman in Maryland history elected to the State Senate, where she became a champion for keeping our communities safe from gun violence. In the Maryland Senate, she helped pass laws prohibiting individuals from carrying firearms in public places like schools, restaurants, and churches. She voted to ban ghost guns, increase penalties for illegal possession of firearms, and ensure gun owners properly store firearms unloaded and away from children. On Capitol Hill, she will fight to ban assault weapons, expand background checks, and crack down on illegal firearms in our communities. That’s why Sarah has been recognized as a Gun Sense Candidate by Moms Demand Action.

Protecting the Chesapeake Bay & Leading on Climate Change

Sarah earned the endorsement of the League of Conservation Voters, and Maryland Matters described Sarah as “one of the leading environmentalists in the legislature.” In the Maryland Senate, she passed laws to increase the oyster population, invest in clean energy jobs, protect our communities from flooding and rising sea levels, and encourage private sector investment in restoring the Bay. On Capitol Hill, she will fight for climate justice, to speed our transition to clean energy, to help communities become more resilient to climate change, and to protect the Bay and its watershed. Sarah understands that protecting the Bay isn’t just the right thing to do for our environment. It’s the right thing to do for our economy and the thousands of Marylanders who earn their living on the Chesapeake Bay.

Building an Inclusive Economy

Sarah was raised in a union household and is committed to tearing down the barriers that prevent people from fully participating in our economy. In the Maryland Senate, she fought to expand access to affordable childcare and passed a law to expand broadband access and connectivity to Maryland households and small businesses, which is vital in the new economy. She earned the endorsement of the National Education Association, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and Baltimore Council of the International Longshoremen’s Association. On Capitol Hill, she will fight for progress on medical leave, parental leave, and caregiver leave. She will work to bring down the cost of childcare, expand access to workforce housing, and reduce the burden of student loans.

Strengthening our Healthcare System

Sarah believes everyone deserves access to healthcare, and she knows that preventative care improves patients’ quality of life, delivers better outcomes, and lowers costs. In the Maryland Senate, she passed a law to secure millions of dollars for prenatal care for expecting mothers because prenatal care ensures healthy moms, healthy pregnancies, and healthy babies. She also passed a law targeting health disparities by providing additional resources to disproportionately affected communities. She also supported the creation of the first-of-its-kind Prescription Drug Affordability Board and capped the cost of insulin to bring down the cost of life-saving prescription medicines. On Capitol Hill, she will fight to protect the Affordable Care Act from right-wing attacks and to expand coverage to the nearly 30 million Americans without health insurance. She will also work to expand cancer screenings for first responders, guarantee that Medicare can negotiate drug prices for our Seniors, and reduce costs for millions of Americans.

Protecting our Democracy

Maryland’s Third Congressional District has been represented by Congressman John Sarbanes, a giant in the fight to protect and strengthen our democratic institutions. Congressman Sarbanes fought to protect voting rights, election integrity and security, campaign finance, and ethics in government.

In the Maryland Senate, Sarah passed a law to make it easier for active duty members of the military and college students to vote and chaired the oversight committee that ensured the transparency and integrity of the 2020 elections. She also supported fully funding Maryland’s statewide public financing of elections system. On Capitol Hill, Sarah will proudly continue Congressman Sarbanes’ work to reform and strengthen our democratic institutions by co-sponsoring the For The People Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act.

Education

As a graduate of public schools, Sarah understands the difference that a good education can make and has been a leading champion for Maryland families and educators in the Maryland Senate. That’s why she helped lead the fight for historic investments in Maryland schools through the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. In Congress, Sarah will work with educators and families to bring more federal funds to Maryland classrooms, including vital IDEA funding for special education. Sarah is proud to be endorsed by the Maryland State Education Association and the National Education Association.

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—Sarah Elfreth's campaign website (2024)[5]

Sarah Elfreth did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.