Overview

• Baltimore Sun and Capital Gazette published candidate questionnaires on Aug. 26 summarizing backgrounds and platforms for wards including 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8 ahead of the Sept. 16 primaries and Nov. 4 general election.
• Public safety tops many agendas, with proposals to add a fifth rescue unit to cut emergency response times, bolster police and fire staffing, increase lighting and complete key bike lane connectors.
• Housing plans range from legalizing smaller starter homes and allowing duplexes on double lots to advancing mixed‑income projects such as Tyler Avenue and one‑for‑one replacements for Harbour House and Eastport Terrace.
• City Dock remains a flashpoint, with multiple candidates calling to prioritize flood‑resilience features and to scale back or cancel the proposed Maritime Welcome Center, as well as to review height limits and funding assumptions.
• Fiscal and service fixes feature prominently, including pledges to curb property tax growth or lower caps, overhaul permitting and customer service, revisit parking enforcement and contracts, and pursue transit changes such as county bus consolidation, free local routes and safer walking and biking options.