Just before 11 p.m. on Election Night, DDHQ called the Democratic Baltimore City Mayoral race for incumbent Mayor Brandon Scott.
While the Republican primary race hasn't yet been called, with a 9-to-1 ratio of Democrats to Republicans in the City, the general election isn't likely to be competitive.
As of 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, Scott was leading his main competitor, former Mayor Sheila Dixon by just over 6,000 votes.
Mayor Scott came out to supporters late last night, after the race had been called in his favor.
"There might be some votes left to be counted," he told the cheering crowd, "but I think it's safe to say we're destined for a second term."
"Baltimore, you said tonight, very clearly, that your democracy is not for sale," said Scott.
"But y'all know me," he continued. "A victory tonight means the work has just begun."
If Scott finishes out his term in office, he will be the first Mayor to do so since Kurt Schmoke, who served out three full terms, and decided not to seek a fourth in 1999.
Martin O'Malley resigned early when he became Governor, and Dixon followed and resigned early. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake became Mayor mid-term and then was elected to the office, but decided not to run for a full second term. Catherine Pugh resigned, putting Jack Young in office, who was defeated seeking the Mayor's office by election in 2020 by current Mayor Brandon Scott.
Dixon spoke to supporters at her election headquarters before the race had been called.
“It ain’t over til it’s over”
— Jack Watson (@JackWatsonTV) May 15, 2024
Dixon addresses supporters tonight. Says thousands of ballots still left to be counted @WMAR2News pic.twitter.com/gxL2JfUkaG
She also spoke to WMAR-2 News Reporter Jack Watson before heading out for the night, just as the race was being called.
He asked her if she planned to mount a write-in campaign for the General election, which she said she wouldn't. She added that there were still many mail-in ballots to count.
On Wednesday afternoon, Dixon released a statement thanking her supporters and saying that she would wait for the "final outcome of the mail-in ballots" before she says anything else about the outcome of the race.
