Wicomico County Sheriff’s race heats up ahead of June primary

WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. — The Wicomico County Sheriff’s election is shaping up differently this year, with three candidates vying for the position. The election looks different in Wicomico County, as two of the candidates have long-standing histories of serving the community.

Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said, “They deserve to have a voice that’s going to represent them in Annapolis. They deserve someone who’s going to stand up for this community. I don’t sit behind this desk often at all. I’m out in the county every single day.”

Sheriff Lewis, who has served five consecutive four-year terms, is running for an unprecedented sixth term. Challenger Scott Hamilton, 46, said his decision to run has been five years in the making.

“I retired from the sheriff’s office in 2021 after 21 years of service. I also have about 22 years of military service. Recognizing my desire to continue to serve, I was also a three-term FOP president,” Hamilton added. “I’ve been advocating for the men and women inside the FOP for the last six years as their president. To continue advocating for them on a bigger platform was one of the reasons I recognized I’d be qualified to do so.”

Hamilton is excited to give voters a choice for the first time in 20 years, with the election scheduled for June. Last Monday, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #111 endorsed Hamilton, a move that stirred tensions between the two candidates.

“There was some communication with the board of directors that led to the idea of having a forum. Our bylaws are very clear that we don’t have to have a forum to make a recommendation for an endorsement, so I gladly accepted the invitation to participate in the forum,” Hamilton said.

Sheriff Lewis said members received mixed messages ahead of the meeting, which led to confusion.

“There were a select few allies receiving text messages, ‘I just definitely need you there tonight,’ while other members, including deputies at my office, were told all day Monday that no endorsement would be made and no votes would take place,” Lewis said.

Hamilton said he recused himself before any endorsement discussions began and was surprised when he learned of the endorsement. He called for an immediate review to determine whether any bylaws had been violated.

Two members, concerned about the order in which the endorsement was made, reached out to Hamilton.

“We asked the state lodge to assist us with an inquiry into whether anything was out of order, and from what I’ve learned, the state has determined that there was nothing wrong,” Hamilton said.

Sheriff Lewis said, “I just want it to be fair. I want there to be transparency, and I want it to be equitable for every candidate involved. That’s all we can hope for.”

The Wicomico County Lodge #111 Fraternal Order of Police will meet Monday evening, with Mike Lewis in attendance. The primary election is set for June 23, and early voting will take place from June 11 to 18.

Both candidates are encouraging the public to reach out with any questions.

Updates on the election will be provided in the coming months.