County residents have reason to be skeptical. Consider, for example, that even as the County Council officially opens a portal Friday for interim executive applicants, Council Chairman Izzy Patoka and others have made clear applicants should have no interest in running for the post in 2026.

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszweski is headed to Congress in January to represent the 2nd District, so someone will need to fill his job until the term ends in 2026.

The ballot measure came after years of advocacy from county voting rights advocates, who argued that the county had rapidly expanded in population, but had failed to expand representation by allocating additional council members. The council has had seven members since 1956.