As we look ahead to November’s elections, Odenton-Severn Patch is devoted to bring you the information you need about every race in town. Here's our start on the candidates and issues we'll be covering as November draws near. Bookmark this page for updates.

Infrastructure: The most recent legislative session in Maryland ended without a bill to raise money for roads and public transit. There’s been discussion of an increase in the gas tax to help pay for such work, but no agreement on specifics. Is there appetite at the federal level for a broad bill to fund infrastructure?

Defense Spending: People in the Fort Meade area are holding their breath wondering whether there will be deep cuts in defense spending due to sequestration or other cost-cutting efforts. The details of the defense budget moving forward will have a ripple effect on everything from transformation at Fort Meade to contractors filling office space.

Dream Act: The Dream Act would allow illegal immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at institutions in the University System of Maryland if their parents filed to pay state taxes, if they attended a Maryland high school for at least three years and if they graduated. Passed by the General Assembly in 2011, opponents launched a petition effort that blocked the legislation from taking effect and landed it on the 2012 ballot as a voter referendum. Legislators from District 21 in Maryland, including Sen. Jim Rosapepe, were big proponents of the Dream Act.

Rep. C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger: Ruppersberger is seeking his sixth term and is up against former state senator Nancy Jacobs. He is the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee; a big showing by Democrats in November could vault him to committee chairman.

Rep. John Sarbanes: The Democrat is seeking a fourth term in Maryland’s 3rd congressional district. If re-elected, the Towson resident will represent parts of Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel and Montgomery Counties as well as parts of Baltimore City in the newly reconfigured district. Sarbanes made headlines in May when he announced that the majority of his campaign funds would come from small donors. He recently told Patch that he would support the creation of an "infrastructure bank" to fund road and transportation improvements that could help the Fort Meade area.