Kevin Kinnally, Author at Conduit Street

Special Session Set for August to Consider Congressional Redistricting Proposal

Legislative leaders have announced a special session of the Maryland General Assembly for August 3-5 to consider legislation proposing a constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting. If approved by a three-fifths vote of both the Senate and House of Delegates, the proposal would appear on the November 2026 General Election ballot for voters to decide whether to amend the Maryland Constitution. The announcement follows recent federal court decisions involving the Voting Rights Act and congressional redistricting,…

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July 8, 2026

Information Technology / Summer Conference

#MACoCon: Counties Navigate the Human Side of AI

At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, county leaders will explore one of local government’s fastest-moving workplace challenges: how to manage artificial intelligence responsibly across county operations. Artificial intelligence is already changing how employees draft documents, analyze information, communicate with residents, and complete everyday work. As counties continue adopting these tools, they also face important questions about governance, accountability, records retention, cybersecurity, hiring, employee use, and public trust. The Human Side of AI: Managing Risk, Trust,…

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July 8, 2026

General Assembly News / News You Can Use

DLS Releases 2023-2026 Major Issues Review

The Department of Legislative Services (DLS) has released its 2023-2026 Major Issues Review, a comprehensive look at the significant legislation, budget decisions, and policy issues considered by the General Assembly over the last four-year legislative term. For counties, the report provides valuable context on many of the issues that shaped recent legislative sessions and will continue to drive policy discussions in the years ahead. The report covers virtually every major topic before the General Assembly,…

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July 2, 2026

County Budgets / Feature / Policy Deep Dive / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

Deep Dive: What’s Crowding Out Maryland’s Budget?

Maryland’s budget continues to grow, but lawmakers have less flexibility than they once did. A growing share of State spending now goes toward a relatively small number of long-term commitments, leaving fewer dollars available for transportation, housing, public safety, environmental programs, and other priorities. If it feels like every legislative session begins with another difficult budget debate, that’s because more of Maryland's budget now goes toward costs lawmakers have little ability to change. At the…

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July 2, 2026

Elections / Summer Conference

#MACoCon Can’t-Miss: Elections in Uncertain Times

At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, election experts will examine how court decisions, cybersecurity threats, and changing federal policies continue to reshape election administration. Counties play a central role in Maryland’s election system, funding local boards of elections and supporting the administration of every election. In recent months, election officials have navigated major court decisions involving mail-in ballots, voter registration, and federal election authority, while continuing to prepare for evolving cybersecurity threats, disinformation, and changing…

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June 30, 2026

Elections / Summer Conference

SCOTUS Upholds Maryland’s Mail-In Ballot Rules

Maryland’s current process for counting mail-in ballots will remain in place after the US Supreme Court ruled today that states may continue counting ballots that voters cast by Election Day, but that election officials receive afterward. The 5-4 decision rejects a challenge to Mississippi’s mail ballot law and preserves similar laws across the country, including Maryland’s. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena…

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June 29, 2026

Elections / News You Can Use

Federal Court Again Rejects Trump Election Order

A second federal court this week struck down additional provisions of a federal executive order that sought to expand the federal government’s role in election administration, leaving Maryland’s election laws unchanged. The US District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that the challenged provisions exceeded the President’s authority. The order would have directed the federal government to create voter eligibility lists, required the US Postal Service to use those lists when handling mail ballots,…

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June 26, 2026

County News / Feature / General Assembly News / News You Can Use

MACo Seeks 2027 Legislative Initiative Proposals by July 10

MACo welcomes proposals for legislative priorities for the 2027 legislative session. Each year, MACo selects up to four priorities to advance through the General Assembly. These initiatives reflect county needs and promote practical, statewide solutions. In recent years, MACo initiatives have focused on infrastructure investment, modernizing local revenue structures, housing tools for counties, and emergency response capacity (view MACo’s 2026 Initiatives for examples). MACo will soon send a formal request for submissions to counties. In…

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June 25, 2026

Elections

Local Election Boards Begin Canvassing Mail-In Ballots

Local boards of elections across Maryland begin canvassing mail-in ballots today following Tuesday’s gubernatorial primary election, marking the next step before election officials certify the results. Counties run Maryland’s elections. Local boards of elections recruit, train, and manage election judges. They secure ballot storage. They operate early voting sites and polling places. They carry out the day-to-day work that keeps the process credible and accessible for residents. During the canvass, bipartisan teams at each local…

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June 25, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Feature / Intergovernmental Relations / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use

Counties Face July 13 Deadline to Weigh In on Sweeping Federal Grant Rule Changes

Maryland counties have until July 13 to comment on a sweeping federal proposal that would rewrite the rules governing billions of dollars in federal grant funding. The US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed the most significant changes to the Uniform Guidance since its adoption in 2013. The Uniform Guidance, codified in 2 CFR Part 200, establishes federal requirements for grants and cooperative agreements that support county programs, including public safety and emergency…

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June 25, 2026