Former Anne Arundel County Sheriff Jim Fredericks wants his old job back. The Republican, who served as sheriff from 2018 to 2022 before losing a narrow reelection bid, says he has unfinished business in the office and is running to reclaim it in 2026.
Fredericks lost to Democrat Everett Sesker in November 2022, with Sesker capturing 50.5% of the vote, according to capitalgazette.com. Sesker captured 50.5% of the vote in that race, edging out the one-term incumbent after mail-in ballots erased a Fredericks lead that had topped 18,000 votes on election night. The outlet reported that Sesker’s more-than-two-to-one advantage among mail-in voters was what ultimately flipped the outcome.
As first reported by the Baltimore Sun, Fredericks is campaigning to reduce the county’s warrant backlog and restore relationships with law enforcement partners. He has described his motivation simply: he says he has unfinished business in Anne Arundel County.
A Long Career In County Law Enforcement
Fredericks’ roots in local law enforcement predate his time as sheriff by decades. Per a candidate questionnaire reviewed by thebanner.com, he served in the Anne Arundel County Police Department from 1992 to 2018, retiring as a lieutenant when he was elected sheriff. Since losing his bid for a second term, the same questionnaire notes, Fredericks has worked as a contract manager for a private security company.
Fredericks is seeking election to the same office he previously held, according to reportannapolis.com. That same report states Fredericks has argued Maryland law contains no restriction on his use of the phrase “Re-Elect” in his campaign materials, a response to questions raised about his messaging. The report also notes Fredericks has alleged that a social-media account identified as “Sheriff Everett Sesker” may raise questions regarding compliance with Maryland campaign finance regulations, though no independent platform evidence was provided to verify the account or the allegation.
A Crowded Field Before November
Fredericks isn’t the only Republican with his eye on the office. A February report from capitalgazette.com described Fredericks and James McNeill as set to compete for the Republican nomination to face incumbent Sheriff Everett Sesker in the November general election. Fredericks did not advance past the June 2026 primary.
Outstanding warrants have been a recurring theme in the sheriff’s office under different administrations. The county’s active-warrants database, according to Anne Arundel County Government, only tracks unserved county warrants active for six months or longer and is explicitly not a full accounting of all unserved warrants. Past efforts have included a Second Chance Program that cleared 35 warrants on a Friday, and a 2021 initiative that posted outstanding warrants online and encouraged residents to turn themselves in, both detailed in earlier Capital Gazette coverage.
With Sesker now the sitting sheriff and Fredericks not advancing past the June 2026 primary, the November general election will not be a rematch between the two. Questions about warrant levels and campaign conduct remain part of the 2026 race.
