
Cheryl Kagan
Maryland State Senator, District 17 since 2014. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2030.
Maryland State Senator, District 17Born 1961
- In office
- 12 yrs
- Since 2014
- Bills became law
- 50
- 101 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 3.1%
- Chamber median 3.2%
- With party
- 99%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +67.1
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2030
- Nov 5, 2030
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- 9-1-1 Specialist Recruitment and Retention Workgroup · chair
- Education, Energy and the Environment · vice chair
- Audit and Evaluation
- Committee on Federal Relations
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Applicants and Applications · Became law May 2026
Armed Forces and Uniformed Services · Became law May 2026
Accessibility · Became law May 2026
Birth Control · Became law May 2026
Appeals · Became law May 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Kagan sits in the Maryland State Senate
Kagan is closer to the center than 16% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Shelly Hettleman, Charles Sydnor, Karen Young
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:52 PM ET
With Kagan’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats99%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Maryland State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Kagan’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Kagan | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2026 | HB 711: Data Privacy - Consumer Data, Public Records, and Message Switching System (Data Privacy… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 28–8 |
| Mar 27, 2026 | SB 594: Cannabis - Advertising - Alterations | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 38–8 |
| Mar 27, 2026 | SB 12: Residential Rental Apartments - Air-Conditioning Requirement | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 35–11 |
| Mar 27, 2026 | HB 141: State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Graduate Assistants | Not voting | Yes | No | Passed 32–11 |
| Mar 27, 2026 | HB 1249: Certified Recovery Residences - Refusing Services to Individuals Receiving… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 36–10 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Kagan was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Maryland Legislative District 17 | Won | D+67.1 | D+55.9 | +11.2 |
| 2022 | Maryland State Senate, District 17 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2018 | Maryland State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+58.2 | — | — |
| 2014 | Maryland State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+36.9 | — | — |
| 2014 | Maryland State Senate, District 17 (primary) | Won | +9.2 | — | — |
| 1998 | Maryland House of Delegates, District 17 | Won | R+0.1 | — | — |
| 1994 | Maryland House of Delegates, District 17 | Won | R+1.7 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $122.1K
- Spent
- $177.8K
Source: Maryland State Board of Elections filings through Oct 15, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 12:44 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Kagan, Cheryl Citizens Helping Elect State | Active |
Source: Maryland State Board of Elections filings through Oct 15, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 12:44 AM ET
Seats Kagan has held
- Maryland State Senate, District 17 · since 2014
- Maryland House of Delegates, District 17 · 1994–2002
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Kagan has run against
- Helene Meister (R) · 2026 general, won
- Josephine J. Wang (R) · 2018 election, won
- Steve Zellers (R) · 2014 election, won
- Michael R. Gordon (D) · 1998 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Kagan
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/3b21ad36-c0bc-4341-9f55-c4529affc7f5
- Wikidata Q5092739
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET