The Baltimore County Executive is the elected chief executive officer of Baltimore County, Maryland, responsible for running county government day to day, preparing the annual budget, appointing department heads, and signing or vetoing legislation passed by the County Council. The office was created when voters adopted a home rule charter in 1956, and fifteen people have held it since. Kathy Klausmeier became the fifteenth County Executive when she was sworn in on January 7, 2025.1Baltimore County Government. Kathy Klausmeier Sworn in as Baltimore County’s Fifteenth County Executive
What the County Executive Does
Section 402 of the Baltimore County Charter makes the executive responsible for the “proper administration of the affairs of the county.”2Baltimore County Government. Baltimore County Charter In practice, the work falls into three areas.
Running the Departments
The County Executive appoints the County Administrative Officer, who manages daily operations, along with the heads of every county department, including the Director of Public Works and the Chief of Police. Each of these appointments requires confirmation by a majority of the County Council, and each appointee serves at the executive’s pleasure.3Baltimore County Government. County Executive Vacancy Announcement A new executive typically reshapes department leadership at the start of a term.
Writing the Budget
The charter requires the County Executive to submit a current expense budget, a capital budget, and a budget message to the County Council no later than seventy-five days before the end of the fiscal year.2Baltimore County Government. Baltimore County Charter The County Administrative Officer and the Director of Budget and Finance prepare the detailed proposal, but the executive has final say over what goes to the council.4Baltimore County Government. Budget Formulation and Administration The council can cut items or reject them, but it cannot spend more than the executive’s proposal recommends. That one-way limit is where much of the office’s real power sits.
Signing or Vetoing Legislation
Bills passed by the County Council must be presented to the County Executive within two calendar days. The executive then has ten days to sign the bill or return it with a written explanation of the disapproval.2Baltimore County Government. Baltimore County Charter If the ten days lapse with no action, the bill becomes law without a signature.
A veto is not final. The seven-member County Council can override it by a vote of five members, what the charter calls “a majority plus one,” and must do so no later than its next regular session after receiving the veto message.5Baltimore County Council. About Five votes is a high bar, so vetoes give the executive strong leverage even when the council disagrees.
Who Can Run
Section 402 of the charter sets three baseline requirements. A candidate must be a registered voter in Baltimore County, at least twenty-five years old at the time of the election, and a county resident for at least five years before the election.6Baltimore County Government. Run For Office The charter also requires the executive to devote full time to the duties of the office, which effectively rules out drawing a salary from another government position while serving.2Baltimore County Government. Baltimore County Charter
Candidates file a financial disclosure statement covering the prior calendar year when they submit their certificate of candidacy, if they have not already filed one. The disclosures are governed by the Baltimore County Ethics Law and posted publicly, and the obligation continues throughout the executive’s tenure.7Baltimore County Government. File a Financial Disclosure Statement
Term Length and Elections
The County Executive is elected countywide on the same ballot as the Maryland Governor, which puts the race on a four-year cycle. The next election is in 2026.6Baltimore County Government. Run For Office The winner qualifies on the first Monday in December following the election and begins duties immediately upon qualification.2Baltimore County Government. Baltimore County Charter
The charter limits the executive to two consecutive four-year terms, a cap that has been in effect since the 1978 election. After eight consecutive years, the officeholder must step aside. Nothing in the charter bars a former executive from running again after sitting out a full term, though none has done so.
What Happens If the Office Becomes Vacant
If the office becomes vacant, the County Council fills it by majority vote. The appointee must meet the same qualifications as an elected executive and must belong to the same political party as the predecessor, and then serves out the rest of the unexpired term.2Baltimore County Government. Baltimore County Charter
For temporary gaps, the charter sets a chain of command. If the executive is absent or unable to perform the duties of office, the County Administrative Officer acts as executive. If both are unavailable, the Director of Budget and Finance steps in unless the council designates another department head. If the executive fails to actively perform duties for six continuous months, the council can declare the office vacant by majority vote and appoint a replacement.
Salary
As of January 2026, the County Executive position falls under Grade EPE4 of the county’s executive pay plan, with a salary range of $180,540 to $284,513.8Baltimore County Government. Executive Pay Plan The executive also participates in the Baltimore County Employees’ Retirement System, with a current employee contribution of seven percent of salary. Under the general government classification, employees vest after ten years of service.9Baltimore County Government. Retirement Because two terms max out at eight years, no one can vest through this office alone without prior county service.
Everyone Who Has Held the Office
Fifteen people have served as County Executive since the charter took effect, with a handful of short acting stints in between.10Maryland State Archives. Baltimore County – County Executives
- Michael J. Birmingham, 1956–1958
- Christian H. Kahl, 1958–1962
- Spiro T. Agnew, 1962–1966 (later Governor of Maryland and Vice President of the United States)
- Dale Anderson, 1966–1974
- Frederick L. Dewberry, 1974 (acting)
- Theodore G. Venetoulis, 1974–1978
- Donald P. Hutchinson, 1978–1986
- Dennis F. Rasmussen, 1986–1990
- Roger B. Hayden, 1990–1994
- C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger III, 1994–2002
- James T. Smith, Jr., 2002–2010
- Kevin B. Kamenetz, 2010–2018
- Frederick J. Homan, 2018 (acting)
- Donald I. Mohler III, 2018
- John A. Olszewski, Jr., 2018–2025
- Katherine A. Klausmeier, 2025–present
Frederick Dewberry and Frederick Homan both stepped in temporarily when their predecessors left mid-term, and the County Council appointed replacements under the charter’s vacancy provisions.