Designated by Governor: Patricia J. Payne, Secretary of
Housing & Community Development; Ronald M.
Kreitner, Director of Planning.

Ex officio: Frederick W. Puddester, Secretary of Budget
& Management; Nancy S. Grasmick, Ph.D., State
Superintendent of Schools; Martin P. Wasserman,
M.D., J.D., Secretary of Health & Mental Hygiene;
Alvin C. Collins, Secretary of Human Resources;
Stuart O. Simms, Secretary of Juvenile Justice; Beatrice
M. Rodgers, Director, Office for Individuals with
Disabilities.

GOVERNOR'S MILITARY STAFF

Lt. Gen. (MD) James F. Fretterd, Adjutant General
......................... (410) 576-6097
Col. Howard S. Freedlander, Executive
Officer to Adjutant General. . . . (410) 576-6088
Brig. Gen. Thomas B. Baker, Assistant
Adjutant General for Army. . . (410) 576-6094
Col. Bruce F. Tuxill, Assistant Adjutant
General for Air ............. (410) 576-6055

GOVERNOR'S COORDINATING OFFICES

OFFICE FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, & FAMILIES

Linda S. Thompson, Dr.P.H., Special Secretary
for Children, Youth, & Families (410) 767-4160

GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF CRIME CONTROL
& PREVENTION

Terry Walsh Roberts, Executive Director
...................... (410) 321-3521

OFFICE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

Beatrice M. Rodgers, Director. (410) 333-3098

OFFICE OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

Luwanda W. Jenkins, Director. (410) 767-8232

OFFICE ON VOLUNTEERISM

Margaret A. O'Neill, Director . . (410) 767-4496

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Parris N. Glendening, Governor

State House
Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 974-3901

During the colonial period, Maryland's Proprie-
tors — the Lords Baltimore — designated who
would serve as governor on their behalf. From
1692 to 1715, when Maryland briefly was a royal
colony, the Crown appointed the governor. Lord
Baltimore regained control of Maryland in 1715
and chose a governor for the colony until the
American Revolution. Under Maryland's first con-
stitution of 1776, the Governor was chosen annu-
ally by joint ballot of both houses of the General
Assembly (Const. 1776, sec. 25). In 1838, by
constitutional amendment, voters began to elect
the Governor every three years from one of three
rotating gubernatorial districts (Chapter 197, Acts
of 1836, ratified 1837). At each election, only
voters from a single gubernatorial election district
selected the governor. By 1851, the Governor's
term of office was lengthened to four years (Const.
1851, Art. 2, sec. 1). The Constitution of 1864
eliminated the rotating gubernatorial election dis-

tricts. Since the election of 1868, the Governor has
been elected by all the voters of the State.
The Governor is chief executive officer of the
State and commander-in-chief of its military forces.
Elected by popular vote for a term of four years, the
Governor takes office on the third Wednesday of
January following election. No person may serve as
Governor for more than two consecutive terms. To
be eligible for the office of Governor, a person must
be at least thirty years of age and must have been a
resident and registered voter of the State for five
years immediately preceding election (Const., Art.
II, secs. 1, 3, 5, 8, 21, 21A).
To each annual session of the General Assembly,
the Governor must submit a budget of government
for the following fiscal year. The Governor also may
inform the General Assembly at any time of the
condition of the State (Const., Art. II, sec. 19; Art.
III, sec. 52(3)). Most commonly, this occurs
through a State-of-the-State address at the begin-
ning of a regular legislative session.
Every bill passed by the General Assembly, ex-
cept the annual budget bill, must be presented to
the Governor before it becomes law. The Governor
may sign the bill into law or veto it. Any bill that
the Governor vetoes may be passed without his
signature by three-fifths vote of the total number
of members of each house of the General Assembly,
either at the current session or at the session fol-
lowing. If a bill is presented more than six days
before the General Assembly adjourns and is not
vetoed within six days, or if a bill is presented within
six days prior to the adjournment of the General
Assembly and is not vetoed within thirty days after
its presentment, then the bill becomes law without
the Governor's signature. The governor may veto
any part of an appropriations bill, in the same
manner as other bills, without vetoing it in its
entirety (Const., Art. II, sec. 17; Art. III, sec. 52(6)).
The Governor is commander-in-chief of the
military forces of the State—the National Guard—
except when such forces are called into the national
service. If the National Guard is called, the Gover-
nor may establish a State Guard.
The Governor appoints all military and civil
officers of the State subject to the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, except when the election or
appointment of such officers otherwise is provided
for. In addition to appointing the heads of major
departments, boards, and commissions of the State
government, the Governor appoints certain boards
and commissions in each county and the City of
Baltimore, as provided for by law. The Governor
also commissions notaries public and appoints per-
sons to fill vacancies in the offices of Attorney
General, Comptroller, and seats in the General
Assembly. Any officer appointed by the Governor,
except a member of the General Assembly, is re-
movable by him for cause.