Jolene Ivey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jolene Ivey
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| Member of the Prince George's County Council | |
| Assumed office December 3, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Andrea Harrison (5th) Mel Franklin (at-large) |
| Succeeded by | TBD (5th) |
| Constituency | 5th district (2018–2024) At-large district (2024–present) |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 47th district |
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| In office January 10, 2007 – January 14, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Rosetta C. Parker |
| Succeeded by | Jimmy Tarlau |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jolene Stephenson
July 30, 1961 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, including Julian Ivey |
| Education | Towson University (BA) University of Maryland, College Park (MA) |
Jolene Ivey (born July 30, 1961) is an American politician. She has been a member of the Prince George's County Council since 2018. She first represented the 5th district and now represents the entire county as an at-large member since 2024. Since 2023, she has also been the president of the County Council. Before this, Ivey was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 2007 to 2015. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
In 2014, Ivey ran for lieutenant governor of Maryland with Doug Gansler. They did not win the primary election.
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Early Life and Education
Jolene Ivey was born in Washington, D.C.. Her mother was white and her father was African-American. She was raised by her African-American father and stepmother.
She went to High Point High School and graduated in 1978. Ivey then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication from Towson University in 1982. Later, in 1992, she received a master's degree in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Career and Public Service
After college, Ivey worked in television. She was a co-host for Say Baltimore from 1983 to 1984. Then, she worked as a writer and producer for WMAR-TV until 1988. Since 1989, she has been a freelance writer. She also worked as the director of media relations for the Community Teachers Institute starting in 2004.
Ivey's interest in politics began in high school. She was elected class representative in 1978. She also volunteered for Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign in 1984. From 1988 to 1989, she worked as a press secretary for U.S. Representative Ben Cardin. In 1997, she helped start Mocha Moms. This group supports mothers of color who stay at home. It also works to help mothers who breastfeed.
Serving in the Maryland House of Delegates
Jolene Ivey ran for the Maryland House of Delegates in 2006. Delegates are like representatives for different areas of the state. She won the election and started her term on January 10, 2007.
During her time as a delegate, she was part of the Ways and Means Committee. This committee handles money and taxes. She also led the Prince George's County Delegation from 2012 to 2014. Ivey focused on issues important to children and families. She supported same-sex marriage in Maryland and efforts to allow a casino in Prince George's County.
In 2008, Ivey was a delegate for Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Running for Lieutenant Governor
In 2013, Jolene Ivey was chosen as the running mate for Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler. He was running for governor. As a team, they ran for governor and lieutenant governor in 2014.
During the campaign, Ivey talked about issues she cared about. She criticized the current Lieutenant Governor, Anthony Brown, on his voting record and how the state's health insurance marketplace was managed.
Gansler and Ivey lost the Democratic primary election in June 2014. If they had won and then won the general election, Ivey would have made history. She would have been the first African American woman from the Democratic Party to serve as lieutenant governor in the United States. After the election, Ivey worked for Lerner Enterprises. She helped them try to bring the Federal Bureau of Investigation's new headquarters to Prince George's County.
Joining the Prince George's County Council
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In 2017, Ivey decided to run for the Prince George's County Council in District 5. The County Council makes local laws and decisions for the county. Her campaign focused on making government services better for people in the county. She won the election and was sworn in on December 3, 2018.
Ivey is known as a member of the County Council's liberal group. She ran for a second term in 2022 and won without opposition. In December 2023, the Prince George's County Council voted for Jolene Ivey to be its chair. This means she leads the council meetings and helps set their agenda.
In June 2024, a councilmember resigned. Ivey announced she would run in the special election for that at-large seat. She won the primary election in August 2024 and the general election in November 2024.
In October 2024, Ivey said she might run for Prince George's County Executive. This is the top leader of the county. After the current County Executive resigned, Ivey officially announced her campaign for the special election in 2025.
Personal Life
Jolene Ivey met her husband, Glenn Ivey, through a friend. They married in 1988. They have five children, including Maryland delegate Julian Ivey. The family lives in Cheverly, Maryland. Jolene Ivey is a member of the Cheverly United Methodist Church.
What Jolene Ivey Stands For
Jolene Ivey has clear views on many important topics:
Education
Ivey supported a plan in 2013 for the county executive to take control of the Prince George's County Public Schools. She believed this would help the county grow. In 2014, she felt that a proposal to expand pre-kindergarten classes did not offer enough money to truly help kids who needed it.
In 2020, Ivey voted against a plan to build six schools using a special partnership. She was worried about how open the partnership was and if it was the right time during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rules for Public Officials
In 2012, Ivey suggested a change to the Constitution of Maryland. This change would require elected officials to resign immediately if they are found guilty of a serious crime.
Environment
In 2012, Ivey voted for a bill to add a five-cent tax on plastic bags in Prince George's County. This helps encourage people to use reusable bags.
Housing and Development
Ivey supports moving the Federal Bureau of Investigation's main office to Prince George's County.
In 2013, she did not support plans to build housing, offices, and shops on part of the University of Maryland Golf Course.
In 2014, Ivey introduced a bill to stop cell towers from being built on school properties in Prince George's County.
In 2019, Ivey helped pass a bill to lower fees for food trucks in the county. This made it easier for food truck businesses to operate.
In 2022, Ivey supported a law that would allow local governments to pass "just cause eviction" laws. These laws protect renters from being unfairly kicked out of their homes.
In 2024, Ivey shared concerns about a plan to limit rent increases to three percent per year. She felt it might not be a lasting solution and could make landlords less willing to rent in the county.
Paid Sick Leave
In 2015, Ivey supported a bill that required businesses in Prince George's County to give employees up to seven days of paid sick leave each year.
Redrawing District Maps
In 2021, Ivey voted against a plan to redraw the county council districts. She thought the council should have used a map drawn by a special commission instead. The map she voted against was later changed by a court.
Social Issues
During her time as a delegate, Ivey wanted to remove the Roger B. Taney Monument from the Maryland State House. This monument honored a judge who supported slavery. She was there when it was removed in 2017. Ivey also supported changing "Maryland, My Maryland" as the state song. In 2013, she proposed making November 1 "Maryland Emancipation Day." This day marks when slavery was ended in Maryland in 1864.
In 2011, Ivey supported the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which made same-sex marriage in Maryland legal. In 2012, she appeared in an ad to support this law.
In 2021, Ivey expressed concern about the county spending a lot of money on lawsuits related to police discrimination. She felt the county should do more to support African-Americans.
Taxes
As a delegate, Ivey voted for increases to the state's corporate income tax, sales tax, sin tax (on things like tobacco or alcohol), and gas tax. However, she was against raising property taxes in Prince George's County during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transportation
Ivey was against plans to expand the Capital Beltway (a major highway). She also opposed building a Maglev train connecting Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. She believed it would mostly benefit wealthy people and hurt the county by taking customers away from Amtrak trains.
Images for kids
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Jolene Ivey at a peace cross rededication.
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Jolene Ivey and Kris Valderrama sharing information in the House.
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Jolene Ivey being sworn in as a county councilmember in December 2018.
