Attorney General of Maryland
| Maryland Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $149,500 |
| 2024 FY Budget: | $70,498,856 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Maryland Constitution, Article 5, Section 1 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
Attorney General of Maryland
Anthony G. Brown | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other Maryland Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Comptroller • Treasurer • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Secretary • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Secretary of Labor • Public Service Commission | |
The Attorney General of Maryland is the chief legal officer of the state of Maryland. The attorney general is popularly elected by Maryland voters in federal midterm years and serves four-year terms without term limits. The attorney general is responsible for advising and representing Maryland government offices and officials as well as representing the state in pending cases in the United States Supreme Court and other federal courts.[1]
Maryland has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current Attorney General of Maryland is Anthony G. Brown (D). Brown assumed office in 2023.
Authority
The office of the Attorney General is established by Article 5, Section 1 of the Maryland Constitution.
Article 5, Section 1:
| There shall be an Attorney-General elected by the qualified voters of the State, on general ticket, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November... |
Qualifications
Here is a list of the standard qualifications necessary under Maryland law in order to be considered for the office of attorney general:
- "No person shall be eligible to the office of Attorney General, who is not a citizen of this State, and a qualified voter therein, and has not resided and practiced Law in this State for at least ten years." (Maryland Constitution, Article V § 4)
Elections
Maryland elects attorneys general in the midterm elections, that is, even years that are not presidential election years. For Maryland, 2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030 are all attorney general election years.
2022
- See also: Maryland Attorney General election, 2022
General election
General election for Attorney General of Maryland
Anthony G. Brown defeated Michael Anthony Peroutka in the general election for Attorney General of Maryland on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Anthony G. Brown (D) | 64.9 | 1,287,418 |
 | Michael Anthony Peroutka (R)  | 34.9 | 691,910 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2,962 | ||
| Total votes: 1,982,290 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Maryland
Anthony G. Brown defeated Catherine C. O'Malley in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Maryland on July 19, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Anthony G. Brown | 55.1 | 362,882 |
 | Catherine C. O'Malley | 44.9 | 296,183 | |
| Total votes: 659,065 | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Maryland
Michael Anthony Peroutka defeated Jim Shalleck in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Maryland on July 19, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Michael Anthony Peroutka | 55.0 | 135,915 |
 | Jim Shalleck | 45.0 | 111,276 | |
| Total votes: 247,191 | |||
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2018
- See also: Maryland Attorney General election, 2018
General election
General election for Attorney General of Maryland
Incumbent Brian Frosh defeated Craig Wolf in the general election for Attorney General of Maryland on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Brian Frosh (D) | 64.8 | 1,474,833 |
 | Craig Wolf (R) | 35.1 | 799,035 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 1,920 | ||
| Total votes: 2,275,788 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Maryland
Incumbent Brian Frosh advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Maryland on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brian Frosh | 100.0 | 505,897 |
| Total votes: 505,897 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Maryland
Craig Wolf advanced from the Republican primary for Attorney General of Maryland on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Craig Wolf | 100.0 | 175,429 |
| Total votes: 175,429 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2014
- See also: Maryland Attorney General election, 2014
| Attorney General of Maryland, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Brian Frosh |
55.8% | 935,846 | |
| Republican | Jeffrey Pritzker | 40.7% | 682,265 | |
| Libertarian | Leo Wayne Dymowski | 3.4% | 57,069 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.1% | 2,089 | |
| Total Votes | 1,677,269 | |||
| Election results via Maryland State Board of Elections | ||||
Full history
To view the electoral history dating back to 2010 for the office of Maryland attorney general, click [show] to expand the section. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2010
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Vacancies
The Maryland Constitution addresses vacancies in the office of attorney general in Article V, Section 5.
|
In case of vacancy in the office of Attorney General, occasioned by death, resignation, removal from the State, or from office, or other disqualification, the Governor shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy for the residue of the term. |
Duties
The attorney general is chief legal officer of the Maryland state government, in charge of legal affairs pertaining to the state. He or she is the legal advisor and representative of the governor, the state legislature, the judiciary, and "virtually every agency in each of the three branches of State Government."[1] In addition, the attorney general's office is responsible for representing the state in cases pending in state appellate courts, lower federal courts and the United States Supreme Court.[1]
Divisions
As of January 10, 2021, the office of the attorney general consists of several divisions, including:
- The Antitrust Division
- The Civil Litigation Division
- The Civil Rights Division
- The Consumer Protection Division
- The Courts and Judicial Affairs Correctional Litigation Division
- The Criminal Appeals Division
- The Criminal Investigations Division
- The Educational Affairs Division
- The Securities Division[1]
State budget
- See also: Maryland state budget and finances
The attorney general's budget for Fiscal Year 2024 was $70,498,856.[2]
Compensation
The salaries of the secretary of state and attorney general are decided upon by the Governor’s Salary Commission, a seven-member commission created by a 1976 amendment in Section 21A of the Maryland Constitution. The commission includes the state treasurer, three members appointed by the President of the Maryland State Senate, and three members appointed by the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates. Appointees serve a four-year term.
Although the Maryland Constitution states that the commission is only responsible for making recommendations for the governor and lieutenant governor, the current and previous governors of Maryland have requested the commission also recommend compensation amounts for the constitutional offices of secretary of state and attorney general.[3]
Maryland Constitution, Article V Section 3C
| (c) The Attorney General shall receive for his services the annual salary as the General Assembly from time to time may prescribe by law, but he may not receive any fees, perquisites or rewards whatever, in addition to his salary, for the performance of any official duty. |
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $149,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[4]
2021
In 2021, the attorney general received a salary of $149,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]
2020
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $141,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2019
In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $141,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2018
In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $141,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2017
In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $141,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2016
In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $141,500, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2015
In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $125,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2014
In 2014, the attorney general earned a salary of $125,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2013
In 2013, the attorney general earned a salary of $125,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2010
In 2010, the attorney general earned a salary of $125,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Attorney General of Maryland has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Maryland Attorney General. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Office of the Attorney General
200 Saint Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: 410-576-6300
Toll Free Phone: 1-888-743-0023
E-mail: [email protected]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Maryland Attorney General, "About the Office of the Maryland Attorney General," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Maryland General Assembly, "House Bil 200," accessed December 8, 2023
- ↑ Report of the Governor’s Salary Commission, "Governor’s Salary Commission," January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 25, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 24, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed August 13, 2011
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