Politics

Vice President Harris is on a glide path to the 2024 Democratic nomination just two days after President Biden’s decision to end his campaign. Despite some talk about a contested race, Harris faces no high-profile opponents yet and has already amassed the support of more than two-thirds of delegates — well more than the majority she needs. Her nomination could become official via a virtual vote as early as next week.

Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order Tuesday directing state agencies to use “plain language” that provides clear and brief information on any documents or websites from state government aimed at the average reader in Maryland. Moore signed the four-page order – with eight whereas clauses and nine subsections – to make government websites and services easier to read and access in recognition of the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act later this week.

As a key deadline nears, a half dozen Baltimore County Democratic lawmakers have thrown their weight behind a proposal to expand the Baltimore County Council by four seats. If successful, the grassroots effort could place a second charter amendment related to the size of the council on the Nov. 5 ballot. On July 1, the county council passed a bill asking voters to approve expanding the council by two seats in the next election.

Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater said Monday that she intends to fully fund the design and planning for a new elementary school building after not receiving funding from the state for this phase of the project. During a news conference, Fitzwater said she is submitting a budget supplement to the Frederick County Council requesting about $3 million to begin the design process in fiscal year 2025 for Frederick County Public Schools’ 41st elementary school.

Maryland’s 106 delegates to the Democratic National Convention could vote to make Vice President Kamala Harris the party’s presidential nominee as soon as Thursday. While the national convention isn’t set to begin until Aug. 19 in Chicago, party officials believe the presidential roll call may need to be held virtually and earlier, rather than on the convention floor.

It could still be weeks — and a winding journey — before Democrats settle on who will replace President Joe Biden at the top of the 2024 ticket, but state election officials and and legal experts say placing the new candidate on the ballot should be straightforward. Maryland’s top party officials and their convention delegates took one step closer Monday, pledging their unanimous intention to back Vice President Kamala Harris at their party’s national convention next month.

Baltimore City Council members on Monday let go their last opportunity to neutralize a ballot initiative that could cut their membership by nearly half, leaving six of them without jobs and upending politics at City Hall. Instead of introducing their own counterquestion, the 15 council members are betting city voters will side with them and reject the ballot measure this November.

The race to represent South and Central Baltimore’s 11th District on the City Council had all the makings of a blowout. A little-known part-time football coach who had never run for office and only arrived in Baltimore four years ago was up against a City Hall veteran with a massive war chest and a sprawling list of endorsements — the only city candidate backed by Gov. Wes Moore.

The Republican presidential ticket is two men, Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance. But women played prominent roles throughout the GOP convention week here — whether speaking on the convention floor or at glitzy events, at celebrations of donors and party activists, or making things happen behind the scenes.