Today, we continue our series of Wednesday conversations with people who have announced their intention to run for Mayor of Baltimore, in which Maryland Morning host Tom Hall asks the candidates about their vision for the city.
There will be 13 Democratic candidates on the April 26th primary ballot. Five candidates have registered to be on the Republican primary ballot. Three Green Party candidates, 1 Libertarian, 2 Independents, and 5 candidates not affiliated with any party will appear on the General Election ballot in November.
Tom's guest this week is Baltimore City Councilman Carl Stokes. He is a Democrat. He is 65 years old. He lives in Greater Greenmount, and he’s the father of two daughters. As a young man, Stokes first managed and then owned a chain of men's clothing stores, before turning to politics and winning election to the City Council in 1987. He served for eight years, and when he left the Council in 1995, he was appointed to serve on the Baltimore City School Board. He later worked as the vice president of a medical equipment and supplies company and was Chief Operating Officer of The Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy, a public-charter middle school for boys which he co-founded in 2006 in East Baltimore. In 2010, when Stephanie Rawlings Blake became mayor following Sheila Dixon’s resignation, Jack Young’s councilman seat in District 12 opened up after Mr. Young was appointed city council president. Carl Stokes was appointed to fill Mr. Young’s seat ; in 2011, he was elected to that seat on the council, where he currently serves District 12 as chair of the Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee. He is giving up the seat to run for mayor, an office he first ran for in 1999 and again in 2011.
