Sally McCarthy and Cassandra "Cassi" Sung will square off Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the open District 3 seat on the Montgomery County Board of Education. Polls close at 8 p.m.

The seat is open because board member Julie Yang is running for the County Council, according to MyMCMedia. District 3 includes Bethesda Elementary School, Chevy Chase Elementary School and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, according to MCPS redistricting records.

The winner will serve a four-year term on the eight-member board, which includes a student representative, The Banner reported. The board sets policy, hires the superintendent and approves the district budget.

The race is nonpartisan. All registered voters in Montgomery County can cast a ballot, not just those in District 3. Board members must live in their district, but the full county elects them, according to MCPS.

The candidates

Sally McCarthy, 55, holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of Maryland, College Park, and lists 25 years of experience as an education policy professional, according to The Banner's voter guide. She served as a PTA president and Montgomery County Council of PTAs board member and budget chair. Her two children are MCPS graduates, according to MyMCMedia.

McCarthy said the school board must strengthen its oversight to ensure clean and safe buildings and that students and staff have the resources they need, according to Bethesda Magazine. At a League of Women Voters forum, she emphasized her long history of advocating within the district, The Banner reported.

The Montgomery County Education Association endorsed McCarthy and placed her on its Apple Ballot, according to MyMCMedia.

Cassandra "Cassi" Sung, 39, works in systems and analytics at Eversheds Sutherland, a global law firm, according to The Banner's voter guide. She co-facilitates the Chamber of Mothers D.C.-area chapter. She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Lycoming College.

Sung told Patch she intends to be a "data-driven decision maker." In her Bethesda Magazine voter guide responses, Sung said the most important issue facing MCPS was the physical, emotional and psychological safety of students. She said she would push for "consistent implementation of existing safety and anti-discrimination policies."

Sung has opposed expanding police presence in schools, saying data shows it does not keep students safe, according to Bethesda Magazine.

What's at stake

The Nov. 3 election will shape a board overseeing Maryland's largest school district as it navigates a tight budget, declining enrollment and contentious decisions about campus closures, The Banner reported.

The board's June 4 decision to cut hundreds of MCPS positions to balance a $3.72 billion operating budget for fiscal year 2027 loomed over the primary campaign, according to Bethesda Magazine. Declining enrollment is another pressure point. MCPS enrollment dropped by more than 2,600 students between the 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 school years, and the district projects a loss of nearly 7,000 more students over the next six years, Sung told Patch.

How to vote and track results

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters in line by 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections.

Unofficial results will be posted on the Maryland State Board of Elections results page after polls close. Montgomery County results will be available through a dedicated county link on that page.