The Baltimore County Executive is the highest elected official representing the government of Baltimore County, Maryland. The post was established with the implementation of the Home Rule Charter for Baltimore County on December 6, 1956. Previously the powers of the County Executive were vested with the Board of County Commissioners in Baltimore County, which with the implementation of the Home Rule Charter ceased to exist. The County Executive is elected to post every 4 years, coinciding with the elections for the county council and governor of Maryland.
The current County Executive is Kevin Kamenetz. Two former County Executives have achieved prominence since leaving office: Spiro T. Agnew, who went on to become Governor of Maryland and the Vice President of the United States under Richard Nixon, resigning in disgrace due to scandal; and Dutch Ruppersberger, who currently represents the 2nd Congressional District of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives.
Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party | |
1 | Michael J. Birmingham | 1956 | 1958 | Democratic |
2 | Christian H. Kahl | 1958 | 1962 | Democratic |
3 | Spiro T. Agnew | 1962 | 1966 | Republican |
4 | Dale Anderson | 1966 | 1974 | Democratic |
Frederick L. Dewberry (acting)1 | 1974 | 1974 | Democratic | |
5 | Theodore G. Venetoulis | 1974 | 1978 | Democratic |
6 | Donald P. Hutchinson | 1978 | 1986 | Democratic |
7 | Dennis F. Rasmussen | 1986 | 1990 | Democratic |
8 | Roger B. Hayden | 1990 | 1994 | Republican |
9 | Dutch Ruppersberger | 1994 | 2002 | Democratic |
10 | James T. Smith, Jr. | 2002 | 2010 | Democratic |
11 | Kevin B. Kamenetz | 2010 | current | Democratic |
^1 Acting County Executive after the conviction and resignation of Anderson