Despite some cringe-worthy verbal gaffes and missteps early on, Baltimore Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young has stepped up admirably in the midst of COVID-19 and the other city crises to provide fairly steady leadership.

Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott seems to always be prepared to offer and implement cogent policy solutions and has shown a strong work effort during his time on the Council.

Throughout her long political career first as a City Councilperson, then City Council President and later Mayor of Baltimore, Sheila Dixon has proven herself to be one of the most effective public servants the city has seen in decades.

And despite a still somewhat dubious fiasco involving gift cards for the needy, which led to the end of her first tenure as mayor, she has subsequently remained relevant as a city leader.

During her time as mayor, most objective political observers acknowledge the city improved significantly across the board, from trash removal, to business development for women and people of color, to services for people experiencing homelessness, to a reduction in homicides and other violent crimes.