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The Baltimore City Council is the legislative branch that governs the City of Baltimore. It has 14 members elected by district and a president elected at-large; all serve four-year terms. The council holds regular meetings on alternate Monday evenings on the fourth floor of the Baltimore City Hall.[1] The council has seven standing committees, all of which must have at least three members.[2] As of 2022, the president receives an annual salary of $131,798, the vice president gets $84,729 and the rest of councillors receive $76,660.[3][4][5] The current city council president, Nick Mosby, was sworn on December 10, 2020.
History
During its early history the council was composed exclusively of white, non-Jewish males.[6] In 1826, the Maryland General Assembly passed the "Jew Bill", which allowed Jews to hold public office in the state. Two leaders in the fight for the law were Jacob I. Cohen Jr. (1789–1869) and Solomon Etting (1764–1847), who subsequently won election to the council and became the first Jewish officeholders in the state.[7] In 1890, Harry Sythe Cummings was elected to the council, becoming the state's first black elected official. In the 40 years after 1890, six black Republicans won elections to the council.
In 2003, as a result of the ballot initiative Question P, the Baltimore City Council went from six three-member districts to 14 single-member districts. The council president continued to be elected at-large resulting in a legislative body consisting of a total of 15 members.
Since 1926, Baltimore City elections occurred the year following the gubernatorial cycle with elected officials taking office in the same year as the election. From the 1920s to the 1970s city elections were held in the spring, with primary elections in March and the general election in May, with the winners also taking office in May. In the 1970s the elections were changed to the fall, with the primary occurring in September and the general in November and the winners taking office in December. In 2012 the city's elections were moved to coincide with the presidential election cycle. This changed the 2015 election to 2016 and gave councilmembers elected in 2011 a five-year term.[8]
City Council President
The council president is elected citywide. The council president presides over the council and serves as a voting member. In addition to their role on the council, the council president is also president of the Board of Estimates and serves as ex officiomayor pro tempore. In the event the mayor's office falls vacant, the council president automatically becomes mayor for the balance of the term. If the position of council president is vacant, the members of the council elect the new council president.
Clarence H. Burns(pictured in 1995) was the first African-American president.
Mary Pat Clarke(pictured in 2007) was the first female president.
Nick Mosby(pictured in 2023) is the incumbent president.
Was vice president of the council and served as acting president following Bryant's death in September 1930. O'Meara was a Democrat, however he was elected and supported by the Republican members of the council, who he primarily voted with.
In the 1935 election, John Meyer initially was called the winner on election night with 24 votes, after a recount, Sellmayer won.[10][11] Lost re-election in the primary to O'Connell in 1939
First elected as Council President by the council in October 1943, following Conlon's death. Was re-elected in 1947. He chose to run for mayor as an independent in 1951 instead of re-election and lost in his bid for the mayoralty. Resigned as Council President 10 days early.
Elected by the voters in the 1951 election, and elected by the council to fill the last 10 days of Kelly's term. Ran for mayor in 1955 and lost the primary to Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro Jr.
In 1959 he ran on a joint ticket with J. Harold Grady for mayor and R. Walter Graham Jr. for comptroller, and all 3 won. Resigned as Council President in December 1962 to become mayor upon Grady's resignation of the mayoralty to become a judge
Du Burns was the first African-American Council President. He was Council Vice President and first elected as Council President in October 1982 by the council following Orlinsky's resignation. Resigned as council president to become mayor in January 1987 following Mayor Schaefer's election as governor
Served from January to December 1987. He was a 3rd District councilman and was elected Council President upon Burns' resignation to become mayor. He did not run for re-election in 1987, retiring from politics.
Mary Pat Clarke was the first female council president. She had previously served as a 2nd District councilwoman from 1975 to 1983 and had run for Council President in 1983, losing the primary to Burns. She ran for mayor in 1995 and lost the primary election to Mayor Kurt Schmoke
She was the 6th District councilwoman and was first elected Council President by the council in January 2007 following Dixon's resignation. Resigned as council president to become mayor on February 4, 2010, due to Dixon's resignation as mayor following a corruption trial.
He was the 12th district councilman and was first elected Council President by the council in February 2010 due to Rawlings-Blake's elevation to mayor. Resigned himself in May 2019 to become mayor.
She served as Council President Ex-Officio from April 2, 2019, until May 6, 2019, while President Young served as Mayor Ex-Officio and between the time he succeeded to the mayoralty and the Council voted on Young's successor. She held this position as virtue of serving as Council Vice President and she was the 6th district councilwoman.
He was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 40th district and elected Council President in the November 2020 general election
† Died in Office
♯ Resigned as Council President
Records
The records of the City Council, dates ranging from 1797 to 1987, reside at the Baltimore City Archives in Record Group BRG16.[12] The collection includes administrative files, volumes of proceedings, joint council session reports, correspondence, ordinances and resolutions, committee bills, hearing schedules, and other records.
*Elected Council President by the council in January 2007. Sharon Green Middleton was elected by the council to fill Rawlings-Blake's seat.
^ Agnes Welch resigned her seat December 2010. The council elected her son William "Pete" Welch to fill her seat in January 2011. He was re-elected in 2011 and lost the primary in 2016.
** Bill Cole resigned his seat on August 30, 2014, to become the president of the Baltimore Development Corporation. Eric Costello was elected by the council in October 2014.
^^Bernard C. "Jack" Young was elected Council President by the council in February 2010. The Council elected former councilman Carl Stokes to the seat.
***Paula Johnson Branch resigned her seat on March 2, 2007. The council elected Vernon Crider to the seat on April 16, 2007, and he lost re-election in the primary later that year.
^^^Brandon Scott was elected Council President by the council on May 6, 2019.
Election results
2020
All 14 seats on the city council are being defended by the Democrats in the 2020 election.[15]
^"BOTH CLAIM COUNCIL HEAD NOMINATION: Meyer And Sellmayer Not Expected To Settle Issue Until Tomorrow LATTER'S MARGIN NOW PUT AT TEN Recount Or All Ballots Cast In City Tuesday May Be Resorted To". The Sun. Baltimore. April 4, 1935. p. 26. ProQuest538853418.
^O'Donell, Louis J (April 5, 1935). "MEYER WINNER BY 24 VOTES I OFFICIAL COUNT: Sellmayer Counsel Says Recount More Will Be Made Today LOSER TAKES LEAD AT TIMES IN TALLY Final Result Differs By Only One Vote From Wednesday Report". The Sun. Baltimore. p. 26. ProQuest538875315.