Rule 5-11 Council Member Vacancy
Current through 2024. Source: DLR publication. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.
Balt., Md., Council Rules r. 5-11 (2026)
Rule 5-11 Council Member VacancyLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Scope. This rule applies whenever a vacancy of an individual member occurs in the Council.
(b)
Nominating Committee.
(1)
Within 7 days after a vacancy occurs, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least 13 members, but no more than 25, as provided in this Rule.
(2)
At least a majority of the members of the Committee shall be residents of and registered voters in the district in which the vacancy occurred. Of these:
(i)
at least a majority of the members shall be selected from the Presidents, or the Presidents’ designees, of community, neighborhood, or improvement associations listed with the Department of Planning for areas within the vacant district;
(ii)
at least one member shall be an individual between 18 and 24 years of age;
(iii)
at least one member shall be 65 or older;
(iv)
no association may have more than one representative on the Committee; and
(v)
3 shall be representatives of businesses or business organizations located within the vacant district.
(3)
2 members of the Committee shall be members of the City Council, each from a district that abuts the vacant district.
(4)
The President shall appoint the Chair of the Nominating Committee from among the Committee’s members.
(5)
Members serving on the Nominating Committee may not be appointed to fill a vacancy.
(c)
All actions to be in public.
(1)
All interviews, meetings, deliberations, votes, decisions, and other actions of the Nominating Committee shall be conducted in sessions open to the public, with reasonable advance public notice of those sessions, as provided in the State Open Meetings Act.
(2)
The President shall publish on the City Council’s website the:
(i)
names and affiliations for all Nominating Committee members;
(ii)
application rules and procedures for prospective Councilmembers; and.
(iii)
contact information for the Committee.
(d)
Public hearing.
(1)
The Nominating Committee shall hold a public hearing in connection with the filling of the vacancy which:
(i)
all applicants shall introduce themselves; and
(ii)
the public has the opportunity to testify.
(2)
The hearing shall be held within 30 days after the vacancy occurs.
(3)
Public notice of the hearing shall be given at least 7 days before it is held; and the Office of Council Services shall ensure that the hearing has been advertised by the Council President’s Office and certify to the Council that the hearing has been advertised.
(e)
Applicants. Applicants shall:
(1)
possess the qualifications specified in Article III, § 1 {“Legislative Department; Qualification and salary of members”} of the Charter; and
(2)
submit an application to the Nominating Committee in the form prescribed by the President or the President’s designee, at least 14 days before the day of the public hearing.
(f)
Interviews. After the public hearing required by subsection (d) of this Rule, the Nominating Committee may conduct additional hearings with any applicant who appeared at the subsection (d) hearing.
(g)
Report to Council. Within 30 days of the public hearing, the Nominating Committee shall report to the Council the name of the individual it recommends to fill the vacancy. This recommendation shall be made by a majority roll call vote of the entire Nominating Committee membership. This vote shall be taken at a meeting, publicly advertised on the City Council’s website, at which a majority of all Committee members are present.
(h)
Action by Council.
(1)
The vote of the Council on the Committee’s nomination shall be taken by roll call.
(2)
If the Council rejects the Committee’s nomination, the Committee shall:
(i)
promptly reconvene for further deliberations; and
(ii)
return with a further recommendation by the next meeting of the Council.