Baltimore County to Appoint Interim County Executive After Olszewski’s Congressional Transition

With Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski elected to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, the Baltimore County Council will now begin the process of selecting an interim replacement to serve out the remainder of his term until 2026.

Olszewski, a Democrat, is expected to assume his new Congressional role in January. According to County procedures, the Council is required to fill the County Executive vacancy with another Democrat.

If the Council is unable to appoint a replacement by the time Olszewski departs, County Administrative Officer D’Andrea Walker would temporarily take over the role until a decision is reached.

Baltimore County Council Chair Izzy Patoka said the Council plans to open an online portal to accept applications from interested candidates. Their goal is to have an interim County Executive in place shortly after Olszewski’s departure.

“We want to be ready to go with an interim shortly after he leaves office,” Patoka stated.

However, Council member Pat Young expressed concern about the lack of collective discussion and planning around the transition process.

“We were pretty much aware of what the result was going to be and if there is any action taken from the Council today to announce what happens next, I am not aware of it, and it should have been a collective decision,” Young said. “If there is, its being done unilaterally.”

Some Council members, including Patoka, have indicated a preference for an interim County Executive who commits to not running for the position in the 2026 election. But Councilmember Julian Jones clarified that there is no actual rule prohibiting that.

“Some of my colleagues, that’s their desire, but there’s no rule that someone can’t run in 2026,” Jones said, adding that he would be “humbled to do whatever they want me to do” in terms of the interim role.

Councilmember Young stated that he is not interested in the County Executive position himself. Other Council members did not respond to requests for comment on their potential interest.

With Olszewski’s impending departure, the Baltimore County Council now faces the task of swiftly identifying and appointing an interim County Executive who can provide steady leadership until the next general election. The selection process and the interim’s future plans will likely be closely watched by County residents.