This week’s election means major changes are coming to Baltimore County government. First, Johnny Olszewski Jr.’s successful bid to succeed fellow Democrat U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger in Congress means the county will need an interim county executive for the next two years. And second, voters approved an expansion of the Baltimore County Council from seven to nine members which means districts need to be drawn (or at least a proposed map attached to the effort needs to be scrutinized). Here’s the question attached to both efforts: Will average Baltimore County residents get a major say in these two decisions or will it simply be a product of backroom dealing within the council?

County residents have reason to be skeptical. Consider, for example, that even as the County Council officially opens a portal Friday for interim executive applicants, Council Chairman Izzy Patoka and others have made clear applicants should have no interest in running for the post in 2026. It’s not hard to figure out why they want a placeholder. Some members are interested in running for the job themselves and have no interest in giving a leg up to a competitor. It’s one thing to privately harbor self-serving views but to publicly announce them like you are proud to hamstring the selection process? One would think they’d be a little embarrassed, especially in a county where fill-in executives have been because of death (Kevin Kamenetz in 2018) or criminal conviction (Dale Anderson in 1974). Shouldn’t the focus be entirely on hiring the best person for what is a pretty demanding job?

As for the council expansion, it should come as no surprise that voters approved Question A by a sizeable 60%-to-40% margin. The charter amendment came with a lot of description of how redistricting will take place after each U.S. Census, about how council members will nominate those who will serve on a redistricting commission and even about how serving on the council will qualify you for higher pay. What it doesn’t note is that, at least for the map to be in effect in 2026, the “fix” is in. To get the needed votes for passage, some of that backroom deal-making took place and lines have already been negotiated. But they aren’t written in stone.

On both these decisions, the folks in Towson need to go back to the drawing board and put the public first and foremost, exploring ways — town halls, perhaps, or televised interviews with candidates — to get greater input and guidance from county residents and stakeholders. How disappointing that this isn’t their first instinct. But then, this is Baltimore County, where politicians acting in the interest of themselves isn’t exactly an uncommon experience.