Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) held its 88th Annual Meeting on August 19, 2026, at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall in Mechanicsville, Md.
The following SMECO members were elected to three-year terms on SMECO’s Board: Nancy W. Zinn of Calvert County, Charles B. Bowling, Jr. of Charles County, Daniel W. Dyer of Prince George’s County, and Joseph Douglas Frederick and Joseph Gilbert Murphy of St. Mary’s County. Two bylaw amendments were also included on this year’s ballot, and they passed.
More than 8,000 members voted in the SMECO election and results were announced at the meeting. SMECO’s election was conducted by mail and members could also vote electronically by casting their ballots online. Ballots were mailed to members on July 13. The deadline for submitting ballots was August 12. Sixty-seven percent of the ballots were returned by mail and 33 percent were cast online. Members who returned their ballots or voted online were eligible to win one of 30 electric bill credits of $50 each.
W. Rayner Blair, III, Chairman of the SMECO Board of Directors, welcomed SMECO’s members to the event and called the meeting to order. SMECO’s president and CEO, Sonja Cox, introduced the video version of the cooperative’s 2025 annual report.
The video highlighted SMECO’s efforts to maintain a safe and reliable system while managing rising costs and maintaining a focus on affordability.
“In 2025, rising costs and economic pressures challenged us to look carefully at where we could reduce or delay spending, improve efficiency, and invest where it mattered most—all while maintaining a strong and reliable electric system. Like our members, SMECO has had to make tough choices to mitigate the impact of increased costs while maintaining our Debt Service Coverage Ratio and appropriate liquidity,” Cox said. “We recognize that some of the pressures facing our industry are beyond our control. What we can control is how we prepare and how we respond.”
Cox also answered questions from members in attendance about capital credits and the related bylaw amendment approved in the 2026 election, as well as the cooperative’s stance on data centers.
Cox advised members that, as an electric distribution utility with the exclusive right to provide electric service within its defined service territory, SMECO is required to provide service to anyone who requests connection to the grid. However, SMECO’s position, consistent with Maryland law, is that any data center seeking to build in Southern Maryland must directly pay the full cost of any electric transmission or distribution system buildout required to interconnect the facility and provide electric service.
Members also asked about Time-of-Use (TOU) rates, which give members an opportunity to save money by shifting electricity use to off-peak hours, when energy costs are lower. Residential and some commercial customers can log in to Account Manager to see how a TOU rate compares with their current rate based on their individual energy-use patterns.
“We will continue to make deliberate, well-planned decisions, invest where it matters, and leverage our purchasing power and resources to help manage costs while protecting reliability,” Cox said. “Our commitment to financial responsibility, reliable service, and the long-term interests of our members will continue to guide us forward.”
Below are the results of the voting. You may use this information at your discretion:
Calvert/Anne Arundel counties (one elected)
Terry W. Schroepfer 2,098 votes
Timothy Twigg 1,342 votes
Nancy W. Zinn 3,574 votes
Charles County (one elected)
Charles B. Bowling, Jr. 4,239 votes
Brandi Jones 2,549 votes
Donta Varney 471 votes
Prince George’s County (one elected)
Daniel W. Dyer 4,016 votes
Kenneth Swann 2,907 votes
St. Mary’s County (two elected)
Lynn Delahay 3,317 votes
Joseph Douglas Frederick 4,004 votes
Mark P. Harris 2,237 votes
Joseph Gilbert Murphy 3,578 votes
