Maryland voters resoundingly elected leaders who will be strong advocates to address climate change, take action to remedy environmental injustice, and protect our environment. This is a time to celebrate our progress, and plan for action to continue forward.
A few races are still too close to call. Counting of provisional ballots and mail-in ballots that were postmarked by 8 pm on Election Day is scheduled to be completed by Friday, November 18.
The State Will Be in Good Hands
Heading the list are the new leaders in our most important statewide offices, who were all endorsed by the Sierra Club:
- Wes Moore as Governor and Aruna Miller as Lt. Governor
- Brooke Lierman as Comptroller
- Anthony Brown as Attorney General
These leaders will set the tone and the agenda in Maryland for the next 4 years and beyond.
Both houses of the Maryland General Assembly will have majorities of members who were endorsed by the Sierra Club because of their past actions and commitment to the environment. Many of the new legislators are eager for speedy and decisive action, and we expect their energy to generate significant improvements in pro-environment legislation.
We are thrilled that Wes Moore, Brooke Lierman, and Anthony Brown will serve as Maryland’s top elected officials for the next four years. Maryland voters have elected leaders who are committed to protecting the environment, improving public health, and addressing inequities. We are looking forward to working with the Moore-Miller administration, legislators, and other leaders to enact big and bold solutions that tackle the climate crisis, protect our planet, make clean air and clean water available to everyone, and create good, family-sustaining green jobs.
So Is Our Federal Representation (Mostly)
Maryland’s representation at the national level will continue strong with Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Glenn Ivey, Steny Hoyer, David Trone, Kweisi Mfume, and Jamie Raskin. Endorsed candidate Heather Mizeur led a strong campaign, but disappointingly did not win her uphill effort against Rep. Andy Harris.
Local Governments Matter Too
County and city governments often make innovations that become adopted as statewide policy. After this election, Maryland’s seven largest jurisdictions will move forward under the leadership of candidates who were endorsed by the Sierra Club:
- Montgomery, Anne Arundel, and Howard Counties will continue with pro-environment county executives and county councils.
- Baltimore County will continue with a pro-environment county executive and its county council now has a majority of pro-environment members.
- Prince George’s County Council now will have a majority of members who are pro-environment.
- Baltimore City continues with the pro-environment mayor and city council elected in 2020.
- Frederick County Council will have a majority of pro-environment members. The county executive race was still too close to call when this blog was written.
What’s Next
The results of Maryland’s election are good for all who care about the future of our planet and the environment. But, of course, we won’t stop here. We work year-round to encourage elected officials to aggressively address the climate crisis and protect the environment.
The Moore-Miller Administration and the new General Assembly will take office in January and immediately start making decisions on proposed new policies and legislation. We have many opportunities for volunteers to help on issue campaigns and grassroots lobbying. If you are interested in participating in these efforts, the opportunities will be explored in a Zoom event you can join at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 28. You can RSVP here.
Together our efforts do make a big difference!
Rich Norling
Political Chair
Sierra Club Maryland Chapter