Maryland
Advocates renew press to change how legislative vacancies are filled – Maryland Matters
Maryland lawmakers this session are again targeting the process by which vacancies in the General Assembly are filled.
Changing the system has been a goal of good government groups including the Maryland Public Interest Group and Common Cause Maryland for several years. Those changes have failed even as the public grows irritated with how appointments are made to fill open seats.
Proponents say the current system ignores voters and must go.
“We’d be joining 28 other states who have figured out how to handle special elections,” said Emily Scarr, director of Maryland Public Interest Research Group. “I’m confident we can figure it out.”
The Senate Education, Energy and Environment Committee Tuesday held hearings on two bills that take a crack at changing how vacant legislative seats would be filled in the future.
An October poll conducted by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research and Media Services for Common Cause Maryland and the Maryland PIRG found that 85% of those surveyed favor a special election to fill vacant seats.
Changing the process has the backing of Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City).
There are 188 legislators in the Maryland General Assembly.
Of those now serving in the House and Senate, nearly a quarter were appointed to fill a vacancy.
Many of those who are appointed go on to be elected later. Some were appointed to the House and later appointed to fill another vacancy in the Senate.
Under current law, when a vacancy arises, the central committee of the party that held the seat interviews candidates and recommends a replacement to the governor.
The governor typically — but not always — appoints that candidate to the open seat.
Senate Bill 140, sponsored by Sen. Clarence K. Lam (D-Howard and Anne Arundel) would impose rules on how central committees fill future vacancies.
Lam has worked in previous years on bills that would create a special election process for filling vacancies. Those bills passed in the Senate but failed in the House.
“I still believe we need to include special elections in the vacancy process. I also believe that in the meantime, we should ensure the current process is as transparent as possible,” Lam said.
Lam’s bill would require public notice of vacancies and the application and interview process. Candidate interviews and central committee votes would be required to be open to the public. Members of the central committee who apply for the opening must recuse themselves from the vote.
None of the changes carry a cost for the state or local government to implement.
An identical bill is filled in the House.
If passed, the law would take effect later this year.
Senate Bill 29, sponsored by Senate Education, Energy and Environment Committee Vice Chair Cheryl C. Kagan (D-Montgomery), would replace the current process with a special election.
“I believe that whenever possible, the voters should pick their representatives,” Kagan said.
Under her bill, if the vacancy occurs within the first three years of the term, voters in the district would fill a vacancy through a mail-in special primary and general election.
If the vacancy occurs within the fourth year, central committees would name an initial replacement. That replacement would then have to run for election in the state’s primary election just a few weeks after the legislative session ends.
Kagan’s bill amends the Maryland Constitution. It would require a three-fifths vote in both chambers and approval of voters in November. If approved, the changes would take effect in 2026
If approved, the changes would cost the state an additional $150,000 to conduct a special primary and general election. Local government expenditures for the same elections would increase by about $260,000, according to estimates by legislative analysts.
Scarr said it is “the cost of having a democracy. People have to vote for who represents them. It’s a fundamental thing and if we’re not spending money to ensure that right, what are we doing?”
The bill has the support of Maryland PIRG, Common Cause and the League of Women Voters of Maryland.
“This bill gets us so much closer to our goal of enfranchising voters,” said Nikki Tyree, executive director of the state chapter of the League of Women Voters
Kagan said she planned to offer two amendments.
One deals with what she called a “domino effect” — where a resignation in the Senate results in the appointment of a state delegate thus creating a second vacancy. In those instances, a special election would only be held for the first vacant seat leaving the appointment to the House of Delegates to stand without voter input.
Such a scenario “is too complicated,” Kagan said.
“Instead of a domino, we’re clear there is one special election,” she said. The second opening would be filled by the central committee.
Kagan’s second amendment would exempt interim appointments made in the fourth year from the prohibition on fundraising during session that applies to other lawmakers. Kagan said fundraising would be allowed during a small window near the end of the 90-day legislative session.
“I have a big problem with these folks being able to raise money during session,” said Sen. Ron Watson (D-Prince George’s) who was a delegate when was appointed in 2021 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of then Sen. Doug Peters. “I think that’s extremely problematic.”
Kagan said those interim appointments would be “disadvantaged” if they could not raise money for an election
Ferguson, who leads the Senate, expressed concerns about the costs of special elections.
“I think cost is a huge issue and I think that’s going to be a big driver of where the committee lands,” he said. “Doing a brand-new mail-in election each time just brings a lot of new costs into the system. Also, unfortunately, leads to a bit of confusion because of the waterfall effect of vacancies, a vacant Senate seat gets replaced by a delegate. That means you have one election for the senator, one election for the delegate in the same district. All of a sudden you could have three elections all in the same year and create some confusion and you have to run three elections which has a real cost to it.”
Ferguson said the same outcome could be achieved by using “existing elections.”
The House is considering a third option sponsored by Del. Linda Foley (D-Montgomery), who herself was appointed in 2021 to fill a vacancy created by the departure of then-Del. Kathleen Dumais for a judgeship.
That bill would allow central committees to continue to fill vacancies. Appointments made in the first two years would face voters for ratification in the presidential election. In the second two years of the term, the appointment would have the option of running in the state election.
That bill is scheduled for a Feb. 6 hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee.
Kagan acknowledged a preference among other lawmakers for the Foley bill. She told her committee she is also drafting a third amendment that would gut her bill and conform it to Foley’s HB 412.
“In my personal opinion it’s not as little d democratic,” said Kagan. “It doesn’t get the voters engaged frequently enough or often enough early enough. It does move the needle. It’s better than our current law and it does allow some voter engagement in a four-year term.”
The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
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Maryland
Maryland police arrest alleged bank robber wielding stolen cat: ‘Tried to use her as an accessory’
Law enforcement agencies are accustomed to dealing with cat burglars – but now a Maryland police department is saying it grappled with a cat-wielding bank robber.
The Prince George’s county police department said its officers arrested a man suspected of stealing a cat and then taking the animal with him to a PNC bank branch in the local community of Beltsville to rob the establishment on Monday morning.
“The cat was returned” after the suspect was arrested, the police department said in a statement to the Guardian on Tuesday. The agency said no injuries were reported, and it declined to name the suspect or release additional details, saying the case – bound for a spot in the annals of bizarre reported US crimes – remained under investigation.
Nonetheless, a social media post from rescue shelter Beltsville Community Cats provided more information.
A Beltsville Community Cats Facebook page post on Monday identified the cat at the center of the alleged botched caper as Magnolia, a three-and-a-half-month-old tuxedo kitten. The shelter recounted how the suspect first snatched Magnolia from her “adoption habitat” at Beltsville’s Pet Supplies Plus store, took her across the parking lot to a PNC branch, and “tried to use her as an accessory in [an] attempted robbery”.
“He asked the bank manager to hold the kitten while he wrote a note, then handed the note to a teller demanding all the cash,” the post continued. “Thankfully, the robbery was unsuccessful, the suspect was arrested, and Magnolia was found safe and sound in the bank manager’s office, where the two had bonded over their shared ordeal.”
Pet Supplies Plus store employees told the NBC affiliate in nearby Washington DC that Magnolia’s cat napper had come in daily for about two weeks and focused on the kitten each time.
Finally, on Monday, he managed to use a key to open a cat adoption area and whisked Magnolia away, store employees said to the outlet, WRC.
Store manager Aaron Kurkowski told WRC that Magnolia’s thief “came in and saw none of my team was nearby the front – and he just went right to her and ran right on out”.
According to WRC, Stephanie Stullich of Beltsville Community Cats then received a call from a pet store employee who alerted her to Magnolia’s plight.
That prompted Stullich to run over to the store, where she said to WRC that she “immediately saw all of these police cars and … thought, ‘Wow, that’s a heck of a response for a stolen cat’.”
“But then I realized they all were going down to the bank,” Stullich recalled to WRC. “They came back out a few minutes later and said, ‘Yes, there is a cat inside the bank.’”
Two days before her catnapping, Magnolia was the subject of a Beltsville Community Cats Facebook post inviting people to see her at Pet Supplies Plus and consider adopting her.
Magnolia as of Monday was still waiting to be adopted, Beltsville Community Cats said in its post detailing the bank robbery.
The non-profit organization offered members of the public the opportunity to apply to adopt Magnolia by emailing rescue@beltsvillecats.net.
Beltsville Community Cats’ post also joked that Magnolia’s “brief ‘life of crime’ is behind her” – except for undoubtedly “stealing” hearts, treats, toys and cuddles wherever her forever home may be.
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