Politics

The Montgomery County Council unanimously selected five new planning board commissioners — powerful political appointees who oversee planning and land-use functions — to serve in a temporary capacity until the soon-to-be-elected next council assigns permanent members. The move fills an unprecedented gap left in the county government’s machinery by the former planning board’s mass resignation earlier this month. Their resignation followed allegations of misconduct and a toxic work environment, which led to a no-confidence declaration from the council.

One candidate fled Yugoslavia as bombs fell, only to rally against what she sees as echoes of the communist state in her backyard. The other left a “lovely life” as a child in India for more opportunity in America — and found it. Maryland lieutenant governor candidates Aruna Miller, a Democrat, and Gordana Schifanelli, a Republican, are both immigrants. Both are mothers — Miller, 57, has three daughters and Schifanelli, 51, has three sons — and both would be the first immigrant to hold the office.

Republican Baltimore County Councilman David Marks is running against Democratic challenger Crystal Francis for reelection in an eastern district that looks considerably different from the majority-Democrat district where Marks was first elected 12 years ago. Marks, 49, is touting a record of working across party lines as he vies for a fourth term against Francis, 37, a Middle River resident with a storied history of advocacy for criminal justice reform. Francis has also argued that the mostly white and male County Council isn’t representative enough of Baltimore County.

About 4 in 10 Anne Arundel County residents approve of the job County Executive Steuart Pittman and the County Council are doing, according to a new Capital poll. The poll, conducted in conjunction with a statewide Baltimore Sun Media and University of Baltimore survey, showed the incumbent Democrat with a 41% approval rating. The majority Democratic County Council received a 42% approval rating.

Republicans are eyeing the debt limit and government funding deadlines as a way to force Democrats to the negotiating table for spending cuts, should the GOP regain control of Congress following the midterm elections. Republicans unhappy about government spending could move to shut down the government, a tactic unsuccessful for the GOP in past battles over Obamacare and the Trump border wall. Their potential refusal to adjust the debt limit could bring the nation to the verge of a damaging default, economic experts say.

Voters visited polling places across Maryland on Thursday as the first of eight days of early voting got underway ahead of the Nov. 8 election. The season’s voting, which includes statewide contests for governor, attorney general and comptroller, already had begun for the more than 607,000 voters who requested mail-in ballots this fall. Thursday offered the first chance for voters to make their selections in person and early voting continues through Nov. 3.

Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Baltimore on Saturday for a grassroots event with Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore. The event, which is hosted by the Maryland Democratic Party, will take place at the Cahill Recreation Center in west Baltimore. It will run from 9:15 a.m-1 p.m. Election Day in Maryland is Nov. 8. Early voting began on Thursday.