Laurel mayor will not seek re-election in November

By Melanie Dzwonchyk

Longtime Laurel Mayor Craig Moe has announced he will not seek a sixth term in this November’s mayoral and city council elections.

In a letter shared with constituents, Moe said he was announcing his decision now to allow potential candidates time to campaign for the office before the Nov. 7 election.

“I’ve enjoyed it,” Moe said of his 21 years as Laurel’s mayor, adding it’s the community in Laurel that “makes city hall work, makes things happen.”

A Laurel native and graduate of Laurel High, Moe was first elected to the city council in 1990 and served 12 years, including two years as council president. He was elected mayor in 2002 and has served continuously since then. 

There are no term limits for the offices of mayor and councilmember in Laurel. The mayor serves a four-year term and councilmembers serve two-year terms.

Beyond city hall, Moe has been a member of the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department for 47 years, serving as both president and fire chief. He also served as president of the Prince George’s County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association and was elected president of the Maryland Municipal League in 2009.

In 2015, Moe led the city’s response when Dimensions Healthcare announced plans to downsize and close Laurel Regional Hospital, co-chairing the Laurel Strategic Planning Work Group.

In 2018, Moe ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination to the District 1 seat on the Prince George’s County Council.

In his letter, Moe wrote he has “given 100% to my office I swore to uphold” and that he will continue his work as mayor through the end of his current term.

“Serving as your mayor has been one of the most important endeavors I have been honored to hold,” Moe wrote.