Brandon Scott

Brandon Scott. An American politician serving as the Mayor of Baltimore since December 2020, he is a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Baltimore City Council in 2011, he later served as Baltimore City Council President before winning the 2020 Baltimore mayoral election. His administration has focused on addressing gun violence, reforming city government, and implementing community-based public safety strategies.

Early life and education

Brandon Scott was born and raised in the Park Heights neighborhood of Baltimore. He attended Baltimore City Public Schools, graduating from Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from St. Mary's College of Maryland, where he was active in student government. His early political involvement included internships with then-Congressman Elijah Cummings and the Maryland General Assembly.

Political career

Scott's political career began with his election to the Baltimore City Council in 2011, representing the 2nd District. In 2019, he was elected by his colleagues to serve as Baltimore City Council President, succeeding Bernard C. "Jack" Young who had become Mayor of Baltimore following the resignation of Catherine Pugh. As council president, he chaired the Baltimore Board of Estimates and oversaw significant legislative efforts, including police reform measures in the aftermath of the Freddie Gray protests. He also served on the Baltimore Spending Affordability Committee.

Mayor of Baltimore

Scott assumed the office of Mayor of Baltimore on December 8, 2020, after winning the 2020 Baltimore mayoral election. He defeated former Mayor of Baltimore Sheila Dixon and other candidates in the Democratic primary before winning the general election. His inauguration was held at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Key early appointments included naming Michael S. Harrison as Baltimore Police Commissioner and establishing the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement. His tenure has coincided with challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing negotiations over the federal consent decree governing the Baltimore Police Department.

Policy initiatives

A central policy initiative has been the Group Violence Reduction Strategy, a focused-deterrence model implemented in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice to reduce shootings. His administration launched the ARPA Homeowner Assistance Fund and the Water4All discount program. He has advanced the Equitable Neighborhood Development plan and pushed for reforms within the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Other significant efforts include the Clean Streets Baltimore initiative, expansion of the Trauma Responsive Care model in city schools, and securing funding for the ReBuild Baltimore infrastructure program.

Electoral history

In the 2011 Baltimore City Council election, Scott won the Democratic primary for the 2nd District seat and ran unopposed in the general election. He was re-elected in the 2016 Baltimore City Council election. In the 2019 Baltimore City Council President election, he won a competitive Democratic primary against Shannon Sneed and Leon F. Pinkett III, then won the general election. His mayoral campaign began with the 2020 Baltimore mayoral Democratic primary, where he defeated Sheila Dixon, Mary L. Washington, and Thiru Vignarajah. He won the 2020 Baltimore mayoral election against Shannon Wright of the Republican Party and independent candidates. He was re-nominated in the 2024 Baltimore mayoral Democratic primary. Category:1984 births Category:American city mayors Category:21st-century American politicians Category:Baltimore City Council members Category:Living people Category:Mayors of Baltimore Category:St. Mary's College of Maryland alumni