BALTIMORE — There's a new mayor in Baltimore City!
Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott has been elected as the next mayor for Charm City, he replaces Jack Young.
Scott won the election, beating out Shannon Wright, Bob Wallace and David Harding.
Council President Scott’s campaign focused on building a transformational approach to public safety and policing, increasing transparency and accountability in city government, investing in young people, and increasing equitable investment in the Baltimore communities most in need of support.
"Baltimore: Our city has voted for A New Way Forward," said Scott. "I stand before you, a son of Baltimore and the next Mayor of this great city.
I am so proud, energized, and humbled by your belief in me and what we can accomplish together."
He has served on Baltimore City Council since 2011, when he was first elected. In May 2019, he was elected President of City Council.
Previously he served as a Councilmember representing the 2nd district.
Look below to read his full remarks.
I want to take a moment to say how proud I am of the record high turnout in Baltimore, Maryland, and across the country. I want to thank the people of Baltimore. Thank you for voting. Thank you to the election workers who braved a pandemic to make our democracy work! And now let’s allow them to do their work. There are millions of votes to count across the country, and we should count each and every one of them!
When we started this campaign over a year ago, not everyone knew what to think. Some did not believe you could go against the status quo and win in Baltimore.
But Baltimore, you voted for change. The people have spoken loud and clear to end business as usual in City Hall.
Being elected mayor is the honor of a lifetime. Tonight, we showed that a young man from Park Heights can be elected Mayor. In the same way this city believed in me, I believe in the great people of this city and what we are capable of when we stand united.
We showed that Baltimoreans across this city are ready to unite around the difficult, yet necessary work of building a city that works better for our people. We have no choice, but to make Baltimore a safer city and one that’s fairer for all our neighborhoods.
I am ready to lead this work with focus and determination.
This moment looks like nothing thatI imagined. I wish we could be experiencing this time together, but I want you to know that this accomplishment is ours together, shared by every single one of you.
I want to take a moment to talk about my family, who mean the world to me.
I am here today because my grandparents toiled on a farm in North Carolina and escaped rural poverty in Virginia to find opportunity in a place called Baltimore. And to them I am eternally grateful.
My mother and father worked hard to provide a good life for me and my brothers, no matter what. They taught me what it means to be accountable, to family and to my community. They stood by me, always, just as I will work every day to stand by you. I could not have done this without their unconditional love and support.
I want to thank my team, who have put in countless hours, and the diverse coalition that got us here.
Most importantly, I want to thank everyone who exercised their right to vote in this historic election despite the odds. Whether you supported me in this election or not, I want you to know that I am going to be a Mayor for you and will work to earn your support over the next four years.
Ever since I was a kid growing up in Park Heights, I talked about changing the conditions I saw around me. That still motivates my public service and commitment to Baltimore.
Our city has been on a difficult and bumpy path, but isn’t destined to always be that way. But you can’t fix something that you don’t understand. I have learned so much from my time serving on the City Council, and I’ve also learned countless lessons from my colleagues. I’ve watched their success and their struggles. It could not be more clear that we need a new way.
However, we have our work cut out for us. My commitment to you is that I will always be honest about our challenges, and will always work hard to set our city on a new path.
My eyes are open about the City I’m prepared to lead. We have lost 466 of our friends and family members to COVID-19 in Baltimore City. And cases are rising. Our workers and Small Businesses are suffering.
This year we have lost 278 people to violence and far too many to overdose.
To the families who have lost loved ones, I want you to know that your next Mayor will wake up every day focused on making this City safer. On getting you the help you need. On throwing everything we have at the problem.
We can build a safer city, one that’s more equitable and accountable.
We can get the basic things right.
We can pick up recycling and issue affordable water bills you can trust.
We can fix the broken structure of city government.
We can invest in our young people.
We can create bold new solutions to some of our deepest challenges.
We can work to right the historical wrongs that have divided us as a city and held us back for far too long.
We will work for the people.
While we take tonight to remember how far we have come, we’re going to wake up tomorrow and get to work because we still have a long way to go.
Now, I know that this is not the only election that people care about tonight. We have a long night in front of us, and like you I will be in front of my TV screen and on my phone, watching to see how the people of America vote.
Putting Baltimore on the right track, like setting a new and better course for America, will not happen overnight...and it won’t happen in one year. But it will happen with hard work and smart decisions. If we put aside our differences, we will move forward as a city united.
Join me in uniting our city...so that we can do the hard work to chart a better course for Baltimore.
I’m ready to get to work, and I know you are too.
