Election day results show Baltimore County voters have approved an expansion of county council membership, and the corresponding districts, from seven to nine.

Baltimore County voters approved an increase to the number of elected Baltimore County Council members. Question A on the Baltimore County ballot proposed to change from seven to nine members. The measure was approved by a vote of 60 percent for the change and 40 percent against. The proposed new districts, will not be in place until the 2026 election.

Question A read:

Sections 201, 204, 206, 207, 522, 601, and 1201 of the Baltimore County Charter are amended to: increase from 7 to 9 the number of Councilmembers and Council Districts; make membership on the County Council a full-time position for purposes of determining compensation; provide for an equal number of Board of Appeals members as the number of Councilmembers, and that no more than two-thirds of the Board of Appeals members may belong to the same political party; increase from 7 to 9 the number of Council appointments to the Planning Board; provide for an equal number of members of a councilmanic redistricting commission as the number of Councilmembers, with each Councilmember nominating one member and subject to Council confirmation; provide that redistricting of Council Districts may only occur: before October 1, 2025, after each decennial U.S. Census, or during the year after ratification of a Charter amendment changing the number of Council Districts; and increase from 6 to 8 the number of affirmative votes required for the Council to approve a legislative act that proposes a ballot question to terminate the Charter and return the County to a county commissioner form of government.

MACo’s election coverage and analysis rely on unofficial results published by the Maryland State Board of Elections. Official results will follow after a full accounting of pending votes. MACo advises readers that any close unofficial results are subject to realignment in the days ahead.