Baltimore County is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Maryland. The county is part of the Central Maryland region of the state. Baltimore County partly surrounds but does not include the independent city of Baltimore. It is part of the Northeast megalopolis,which stretches from Northern Virginia in the south to Boston in the north and includes major American population centers,including New York City and Philadelphia. Major economic sectors in the county include education,government,and health care. As of the 2020 census,the population was 854,535. The county is home to several universities,including Goucher College,Stevenson University,Towson University,and University of Maryland,Baltimore County.
The governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland,and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers in both the state and local governments,as specified by the Maryland Constitution.
The United States order of precedence is an advisory document maintained by the Ceremonials Division of the Office of the Chief of Protocol of the United States which lists the ceremonial order,or relative preeminence,for domestic and foreign government officials at diplomatic,ceremonial,and social events within the United States and abroad. The list is used to mitigate miscommunication and embarrassment in diplomacy,and offer a distinct and concrete spectrum of preeminence for ceremonies. Often the document is used to advise diplomatic and ceremonial event planners on seating charts and order of introduction. Former presidents,vice presidents,first ladies,second ladies,and secretaries of state and retired Supreme Court justices are also included in the list.
The government of Maryland is conducted according to the Maryland Constitution. The United States is a federation;consequently,the government of Maryland,like the other 49 state governments,has exclusive authority over matters that lie entirely within the state's borders,except as limited by the Constitution of the United States.
The Baltimore County Executive is the highest elected official representing the government of Baltimore County,Maryland,United States. The office was established with the implementation of the county charter for Baltimore County on November 6,1956. The county executive is elected to post every four years,coinciding with the elections for the county council and governor of Maryland.
David Michael Satterfield is an American diplomat and ambassador,who has served extensively in the Middle East,including the Persian Gulf area,Lebanon,and Iraq. He later served as a senior advisor on Iraq for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and was director general of the Multinational Force and Observers,the peacekeeping force for the Sinai Peninsula from June 2009 until August 2017. He was chargéd'affaires to Egypt from August 2013 to January 2014 and was subsequently Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for Libya. From September 2017 to June 2019 he served as the acting assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs,and was confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Turkey on June 27,2019.
The Red Line is a proposed light rail line for Baltimore,Maryland. The original project was granted federal approval to enter the preliminary engineering phase and the Maryland Transit Administration had spent roughly $300 million in planning,design and land acquisition,until Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared his intent to not provide state funds for the project and shift state funding to roads in suburban areas. The original Red Line had been projected to cost roughly $1.6 billion,$900 million of which would have been guaranteed federal funding. Its construction had been estimated to begin in late 2015–early 2016,subject to funding,with a completion date set for late 2021–early 2022.
Katherine A. Klausmeier is an American politician who is the 15th and current county executive of Baltimore County,Maryland,serving since 2025. She is the first woman to serve as Baltimore County Executive.
Daniel Mark Tangherlini is an American government official who currently serves as a Governor of the United States Postal Service. He served as administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration from 2012 to 2015. Unanimously approved to the post by the U.S. Senate on June 27,2013,he had served as Acting Administrator since his appointment by President Barack Obama on April 2,2012. He earlier served as an executive in the U.S. Department of the Treasury,as City Administrator of Washington,D.C.,and as interim General Manager for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Charles R. Boutin was an American attorney and politician who served in the Maryland House of Delegates from the 34A and 36th districts from 1999 to 2005,as a member of the Republican Party. Prior to his tenure in the state legislature he was active in local politics in Aberdeen,Maryland,with him serving on the city council and as mayor.
John Anthony Olszewski Jr.,also known by his nickname Johnny O,is an American politician who has served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 2nd congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party,he served as the 14th county executive of Baltimore County,Maryland,from 2018 to 2025.
Stephen W. Lafferty is an American politician who was a member of Maryland House of Delegates from January 2007 to September 2019,representing District 42 from 2007 to 2015,and District 42A from 2015 to 2019. Lafferty was the first Democrat to be elected in district 42 since it was moved to Baltimore County after the 21st century census and redistricting. In September 2019,he resigned from the House of Delegates to serve as chief sustainability officer for Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski.
James Brochin is an American politician who was a member of the Maryland Senate representing the 42nd district in Baltimore County from 2003 to 2019. He unsuccessfully ran for Baltimore County Executive in 2018,placing second behind former state delegate Johnny Olszewski in the Democratic primary by a margin of 17 votes.
Frederick H. Bealefeld III is an American former police officer who served as commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department from 2007 to 2012. He also served as deputy commissioner of operations for the department from January to July 2007. Born to a family of police officers,Bealefeld graduated from Chesapeake High School in Anne Arundel County,and attended Anne Arundel Community College,dropping out due to an injury preventing him from obtaining a lacrosse scholarship.
The executive branch of the government of Puerto Rico is responsible for executing the laws of Puerto Rico,as well as causing them to be executed. Article IV of the Constitution of Puerto Rico vests the executive power on the Governor—who by its nature forms the executive branch.
Carolyn W. Colvin is an American public administrator who is serving as Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration since being appointed on February 14,2013 to succeed Michael J. Astrue. On June 20,2014,President Barack Obama nominated her to serve as the commissioner. On September 18,2014,the United States Senate Committee on Finance approved her nomination by a 22–2 vote. However,her nomination was never brought up for a vote before the full Senate.
Terry L. Bellamy served as the director of public works and transportation for Prince George's County,Maryland from December 2018 until September 2021. Prior to his current position,he served as director of transportation for the City of Durham,North Carolina and Assistant Director for Transportation Planning for the City of San Antonio.
Robert G. Cassilly is an American politician who is currently the county executive of Harford County,Maryland. He previously served in the Maryland State Senate from 2015 to 2022,representing District 34.
The Maryland county executive elections of 2018 took place on November 6,2018,with the primary election occurring on June 26,2018.
Frederick L. Dewberry Jr. was an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the acting Baltimore County Executive after Dale Anderson was convicted and forced to resign. He has also served as the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation,Maryland Secretary of Licensing and Regulation and a member of the Baltimore County Council.
