May 16, 2023, College Park, MD – S.M. Fazlul Kabir has been elected Mayor of the City of College Park by City voters during the 2023 Special Election for Mayor. Dr. Kabir was sworn in as Mayor at the May 16, 2023, Mayor and Council meeting. “I am thrilled by the trust and support the community has given me during this election,” said Dr. Kabir, “I thank all who voted for me, and I will work hard to bring the community together.”
Dr. Kabir is believed to be the first College Park Mayor of South Asian descent and the first of Muslim faith. He grew up in Bangladesh and moved to the United Kingdom and Canada before immigrating to the United States, where he made College Park his home. Dr. Kabir has lived in College Park with his wife and two sons for more than two decades. He has represented District 1 on the City Council since 2011.
The City held a Special Election for Mayor to fill the vacancy following the resignation and subsequent arrest of the previous Mayor. A total of 1,850 votes were cast during this election, representing almost 13% of College Park’s 14,263 registered voters. Dr. Kabir won the election with 1,008 votes received, followed by Catherine “Kate” Kennedy with 469 votes, Denise Mitchell with 354 votes, and Bryan Haddad with 19 votes.
Dr. Kabir will serve as Mayor until the end of the current Mayor and Council term of office. The next City of College Park General Election will be held on November 5, 2023. All Council seats and the Mayor’s position will be up for election and the new two-year term will begin in December 2023.