Baltimore, Maryland, Question H, City Council Size Reduction Charter Amendment (November 2024)

Baltimore Question H
Election date November 5, 2024
Topic City governance
Status Defeated
Type Initiative

Baltimore Question H was on the ballot as an initiative in Baltimore on November 5, 2024. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported reducing the number of the Baltimore City Council from 14 to 8.

A "no" vote opposed reducing the number of the Baltimore City Council from 14 to 8.

A simple majority was required to approve the measure.

Election results

Baltimore Question H
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		78,519	37.26%
No		132,204	62.74%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question H was as follows:

“

Question H is for the purpose of amending Art. III, Sections 2 and 7 of the Charter to reduce the number of Baltimore City Council districts from 14 to 8. If the number of City Council districts is modified by an approved Charter amendment, the Mayor shall prepare a plan for Council redistricting based on the most recent census. The Mayor shall present the plan to the City Council not later than the first day of February of the first municipal election year following the approval of the Charter amendment.

”

Path to the ballot

This measure was put on the ballot through a successful citizen initiative.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Maryland

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Maryland.

How to vote in Maryland

Poll times

In Maryland, all polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

According to the Maryland State Board of Elections, to register to vote in Maryland, one must be a United States citizen and Maryland resident who is at least 16 years old. Although a 16-year-old can register to vote, he or she cannot vote in an election unless he or she will be 18 at the time of the next general election (i.e., 17-year-olds are permitted to vote in primary elections, so long as they'll be 18 by the time of the corresponding general election).

Maryland allows same-day voter registration during the early voting period and on Election Day.

Voters may register online, by mail, or in person at one of the following locations:

• Local board of elections
• The State Board of Elections
• Local Department of Health office
• Maryland Department of Human Services local offices
• Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) offices
• Local Area Agency on Aging offices
• MTA Paratransit Certification Office
• All public institutions of higher education
• Recruitment offices of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Marriage license offices
• Offices for students with disabilities at all Maryland colleges and universities

Automatic registration

Maryland automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Motor Vehicle Administration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Maryland has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Maryland allows same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

Maryland law requires 21 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Mayland does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

Several local jurisdictions in Maryland permit noncitizens to vote in at least some local elections. These jurisdictions maintain separate voter registration systems for noncitizen voters. See here for more information.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The voter lookup page, run by the Maryland Board of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Maryland does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases.

The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.

These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote.

A voter will also be asked to show ID in these other circumstances:

• The voter’s identity is challenged; or
• The voter registers to vote during early voting or changes his or her address during early voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Maryland State Board of Elections' voting information page to ensure you have the most current information.

“

The voter’s driver's license number, MVA ID card number or the last four digits of the voter’s social security number, and election officals will attempt to verify this information with MVA or Social Security Administration. A copy of a current and valid photo identification (i.e., Maryland driver's license, MVA ID card, student or employee photo ID card, military ID card, passport, or any other State or federal goverment issued ID card). A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the voter’s name and address.

”

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2024
• Local charter amendments on the ballot

Maryland

• Maryland 2024 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Maryland
• Baltimore, Maryland

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas