* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Henry
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
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Request for State Legislation - Elections to Fill Vacant City Council Seats
FOR the purpose of respectfully calling on the Honorable Chairs and Members of the Baltimore City Senate and House Delegations to the 2011 Session of the Maryland General Assembly to sponsor and secure the adoption of legislation giving Baltimore City the same right to fill Council vacancies through special elections enjoyed by charter counties throughout the State.
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Recitals
A pair of vacancies on the Baltimore City Council in the last year have recently highlighted the process used to fill empty seats on the Council. Currently, vacancies are filled through a vote of the remaining Councilmembers. This system predates the change from 3 member districts to single member districts approved by City voters in 2002.
Prior to the 2002 change it was the Council’s custom to allow the remaining members of a district’s delegation to nominate a new Councilperson to fill any vacancy that arose from their district. This system ensured that residents and representatives from the district played the lead role in determining who would represent that district on the City Council.
However, with the change to single member districts the same rules produce a different result. Now 13 of the 14 people eligible to vote for a person to fill a Coun...
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