The proportion of Montgomery County’s legislative delegation placed by the appointment, rather than electoral, process skyrocketed last year from about 25% (nine members) to more than 40% (14 members of the 35-seat delegation). That spike was prompted by the following five appointments made by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) after the 2022 gubernatorial election.
January 2023
Position: District 14 Delegate
Appointee: Bernice Mireku-North, attorney
Replaced: Eric Luedtke (elected 2010, re-elected 2014, 2018, 2022); resigned to become Gov. Wes Moore’s chief legislative officer
February 2023
Position: District 16 Senator
Appointee: Ariana Kelly, then a member of the House of Delegates
Replaced: Susan Lee (appointed delegate 2002, elected 2002, re-elected 2006, 2010; elected senator, 2014, re-elected 2018, 2022); resigned after being named as Maryland secretary of state by Moore
April 2023
Position: District 16 Delegate
Appointee: Sarah Wolek, University of Maryland faculty member/former MCDCC member
Replaced: Ariana Kelly (elected 2010, re-elected 2014, 2018, 2022); resigned after appointment to Senate seat
May 2023
Position:District 39 Delegate
Appointee: W. Gregory Wims, director, Montgomery County Upper Regional Services Center
Replaced: Kirill Reznik (appointed 2007, elected 2010, re-elected 2014, 2018, 2022); resigned after being named by Moore as an assistant secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Services
July 2023
Position: District 17 Delegate
Appointee: Ryan Spiegel, attorney/four-term member of Gaithersburg City Council
Replaced: Kumar Barve (elected 1990, re-elected 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022); resigned upon confirmation of appointment by Moore to Maryland Public Service Commission
To understand what legislators are proposing to put vacancies in the hands of voters, read:
MoCo Politics: Parties exert stranglehold on General Assembly vacancies. Is 2024 the year of change?
MoCo Politics: 3 options offered to reform parties’ control of vacancies in General Assembly