Democrat Julian Jones is the projected winner of the 2026 Baltimore County executive race.
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As of 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, Jones led Republican Patrick Dyer by 25% with 70% of the votes counted. The Associated Press projected Jones as the winner shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday.
The Baltimore County executive’s office was open this election cycle following the County Council’s appointment of Kathy Klausmeier in January 2025 to fill out the remaining term upon Johnny Olszewski’s election to Congress in 2024. (The appointment was contingent on a commitment from the candidate to not run for a full term.)
Jones emerged from a five-way Democratic primary race and Dyer won the two-way Republican Primary race. Jones becomes Baltimore County’s first African American county executive.
The outgoing councilman who has represented the 4th District since 2014, outlined his agenda by pledging to make the county safer, more affordable and prosperous for families.
“Throughout this campaign, I traveled to every corner of Baltimore County,” Jones told WBAL-TV 11 News in June. “I met parents concerned about the state of the schools. I spoke to seniors worried about whether they could afford to remain in the communities they helped build. I listened to small business owners struggling to grow.”
Jones seeks to lower energy costs based on a Montgomery County model called Community Choice Aggregation. Under the model, Baltimore County would purchase energy with more renewable options from suppliers and offer reduced rates to residents. The plan would require approvals by the Maryland General Assembly, the Baltimore County Council and the Maryland Public Service Commission.
Jones said he would make the county safer by prioritizing police responses to violent crime. He said he would redirect officers’ focus away from welfare checks and mental health calls to fighting violent crime. He said he wants to create a 24/7 crisis center and expand the county’s mobile crisis unit. Jones said he also supports greater use of school resource officers to intervene early with young people.
Jones has an ambitious plan that’s based on a Prince George’s County model to invest in youth by leveraging private partnerships to build 15 schools that the county would lease. He also pledged to open eight recreation centers and two aquatic centers.
“The key is to bring people and jobs to Baltimore County — that is the key to our future,” Jones said.
There have been been 16 county executives who have led Baltimore County, 14 of whom were Democrats and two were Republicans.
This was also the first year in which voters decided nine races for the expanded County Council.
WBAL-TV 11 News, the WBAL-TV 11 News app and WBALTV.com are your home for Commitment 2026 Maryland Election Results.
READ MORE:Election Results: Baltimore County executive race
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