Baltimore City, like the U. S. Federal Government, has a three-branch system of government:
- Executive (mayor)
- Judicial (courts)
- Legislative (City Council)
Bills are passed by the City Council but must receive executive approval to become law. Baltimore's 15-member City Council is made up of members elected every four years from 14 districts plus a City Council president, elected at large.
Find Your City Council District.
City Council President
Baltimore City Council president is elected in a city-wide race to a four-year term of office. Candidates do not have to be City Council members. The only voting member of the Council who does not represent a district, he or she presides over City Council and can have considerable sway in what legislation is voted on by the Council. The president also serves as president of the Board of Estimates, the City's spending board.
Vice-President
The City Council elects among its members a vice President, who chairs meetings when the president is absence.
City Council Members
Each of Baltimore's 14 City Council districts elects one representatives for a four-year term. To qualify, a candidate must be 21 years old, a U.S. citizen and registered voter and a resident of the district he or she is seeking to represent. If a City Council member's position vacated, a new representative for that district is elected the City Council to fill the remainder of the term.
