Karen Lewis Young
Maryland State Senator, District 3 since 2022. Ran in 4 elections between 2014 and 2022, winning 4. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2030.
Maryland State Senator, District 3Born 1951
- In office
- 3 yrs
- Since 2022
- Bills became law
- 38
- 101 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.8%
- Chamber median 3.2%
- With party
- 99%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +47.6
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2030
- Nov 5, 2030
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Special Joint Committee on Pensions · chair
- Budget and Taxation
- Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review
- Committee on Ending Homelessness
- Committee on Federal Relations
- Task Force to Study Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Appropriations · Became law May 2026
Appeals · Became law May 2026
Applicants and Applications · Became law May 2026
Administrative Agencies · Became law May 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Young sits in the Maryland State Senate
Young is closer to the center than 10% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Shelly Hettleman, Cheryl Kagan, Joanne Benson
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:52 PM ET
With Young’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: Young’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Young | 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 | Yes | 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 Young 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 State Senate, District 3 | Won | D+47.6 | D+33.6 | +14.0 |
| 2022 | Maryland State Senate, District 3 | Won | D+33.1 | D+35.3 | −2.2 |
| 2018 | Maryland House of Delegates, HD-3A | Won | Even | — | — |
| 2014 | Maryland House of Delegates, HD-3A | Won | R+1.7 | — | — |
| 2014 | Maryland House of Delegates, HD-3A (primary) | Won | −1.8 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $93.8K
- Spent
- $94.1K
Source: Maryland State Board of Elections filings through Oct 16, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 12:44 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Lewis Young, Karen Friends of State | Active |
Source: Maryland State Board of Elections filings through Oct 16, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 12:44 AM ET
Seats Young has held
- Maryland State Senate, District 3 · since 2022
- Maryland House of Delegates, District 3A · 2014–2022
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Young has run against
- Shelley Aloi (R) · 2026 election, won
- Angela Ariel McIntosh (R) · 2022 election, won
- Carol L. Krimm (D) · 2018 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know Young
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/eebac21f-2ba7-4368-a8e9-fcc20672ad1e
- Wikidata Q53974568
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:52 PM ET