Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Robert Zirkin
Robert Zirkin (Democratic Party) is a former Democratic member of the Maryland State Senate, representing District 11 from 2007 to 2020.
Zirkin ran for re-election to the Maryland State Senate to represent District 11. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
In December 2019, Zirkin announced that he was resigning from the Senate. The Baltimore Sun wrote that Zirkin planned to "focus on his law practice and a new venture helping professional athletes with their charitable work, as well as spend more time with his wife and two daughters." Zirkin left office on January 2, 2020. [1][2]
Biography
Zirkin earned his bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1993 and his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1998.
Committee assignments
2019-2020
Zirkin was assigned to the following committees:
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Zirkin served on the following committees:
| Maryland committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Executive Nominations |
| • Judicial Proceedings, Chair |
| • Legislative Policy |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Zirkin served on these committees:
| Maryland committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review |
| • Judicial Proceedings |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Zirkin served on these committees:
| Maryland committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Budget & Taxation |
| • Children, Youth, & Families |
| • Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review |
Note: Zirkin also served on the Joint Subcommittee on Program Open Space and Agricultural Land Preservation and the Special Committee on Substance Abuse.
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2018
- See also: Maryland State Senate elections, 2018
General election
General election for Maryland State Senate District 11
Incumbent Robert Zirkin won election in the general election for Maryland State Senate District 11 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Robert Zirkin (D) | 96.9 | 40,472 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 3.1 | 1,299 | ||
| Total votes: 41,771 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Maryland State Senate District 11
Incumbent Robert Zirkin defeated Sheldon Laskin in the Democratic primary for Maryland State Senate District 11 on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Zirkin | 70.2 | 11,461 |
| Sheldon Laskin | 29.8 | 4,876 | ||
| Total votes: 16,337 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2014
- See also: Maryland State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Maryland State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 24, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 25, 2014. Incumbent Bobby Zirkin was unopposed in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election.[3][4][5]
2010
- See also: Maryland State Senate elections, 2010
Zirkin won re-election to the 11th District seat in 2010. He had no opposition and received 38,730 votes.[6]
Zirkin ran unopposed in the September 14 Democratic primary.
| Maryland State Senate, District 11 (2010) General Election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
 Robert Zirkin ()
|
38,730 | 100% | ||
2006
- See also: Maryland State Senate elections, 2006
On November 7, 2006, Zirkin ran for District 11 of the Maryland State Senate, beating Jeffrey Yablon.[7]
Zirkin raised $269,533 for his campaign.[8]
| Maryland Senate, District 11 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Robert Zirkin | 34,782 | 70.8% | ||
| Jeffrey Yablon | 14,312 | 29.1% | ||
| Write-Ins | 46 | 0.1% | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Maryland scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2020
In 2020, the Maryland State Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 18.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to consumer interests.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2019, the Maryland General Assembly was in session from January 9 through April 8.
|
2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2018, the Maryland General Assembly was in session from January 10 through April 9.
|
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the Maryland General Assembly was in session from January 11 through April 10.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2016, the Maryland General Assembly was in session from January 13 through April 11.
|
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2015, the Maryland General Assembly was in session from January 14 through April 13.
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2014, the Maryland General Assembly was in session from January 8 to April 7.
|
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2013, the Maryland General Assembly was in session from January 9 to April 8.
|
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Zirkin is married with two children.
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Robert + Zirkin + Maryland + Senate
See also
- Maryland State Legislature
- Maryland State Senate
- Maryland Senate Committees
- Maryland Joint Committees
- Maryland State Senate District 11
External links
- Campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Political summary from Project Vote Smart
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 1998
- Zirkin's Facebook
- Zirkin's Twitter
- State Surge profile - legislative and voting track record
Footnotes
- ↑ The Baltimore Sun, "Sen. Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore County member of General Assembly since 1999, announces he's resigning next month," December 3, 2019
- ↑ WBAL TV, "Baltimore County Sen. Bobby Zirkin to resign," December 3, 2019
- ↑ Maryland Secretary of State, "Official primary election candidate list," accessed March 3, 2014
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for State Senate," accessed December 5, 2014
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "2014 Official General Election Results," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "2010 General Election Official Results," accessed March 24, 2014
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for State Senator," accessed February 24, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Zirkin's 2006 campaign contributions," accessed March 24, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Maryland Senate District 11 2007 - 2020 |
Succeeded by Shelly Hettleman |
