Editing Wicomico County, Maryland (section)

==Politics and government==
Wicomico County was granted a charter form of government in 1964.<ref name=":0" />

In the period after the [[Reconstruction era]], Wicomico County became solidly [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] due to its strong support for secession and state efforts to [[Disfranchisement after Reconstruction era|disenfranchise most blacks]] by raising barriers to voter registration. Independent insurgent white groups worked to [[Voter intimidation|intimidate]] and discourage black voters, especially in rural areas.<ref>Levine, Mark V.; "Standing Political Decisions and Critical Realignment: The Pattern of Maryland Politics, 1872-1948"; ''[[The Journal of Politics]]'', volume 38, no. 2 (May 1976), pp. 292-325</ref>

No [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] carried Wicomico County until 1928, when [[Herbert Hoover]] won due to anti-Catholic sentiment in the heavily Protestant county against Democratic candidate [[Al Smith]]. The popular general [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] carried Wicomico in 1952. Eisenhower would again carry Wicomico in 1956, and Republican [[Richard Nixon]] would win it in 1960 against [[John F. Kennedy]] who, like Al Smith, was Catholic.

No Democratic presidential nominee has won Wicomico County since [[Lyndon Johnson]]’s landslide in [[1964 United States presidential election|1964]], as white conservatives increasingly moved into the Republican Party.<ref>Sullivan, Robert David; [http://www.americamagazine.org/content/unconventional-wisdom/how-red-and-blue-map-evolved-over-past-century "How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century"]; ''America Magazine'' published in ''The National Catholic Review''; June 29, 2016.</ref> [[Bill Clinton]], a son of the South, came within 384 votes of beating [[Bob Dole]] in 1996. The county trended Republican in 2000 and 2004, but [[Barack Obama]] obtained a higher proportion of the county vote in 2008 and 2012, likely benefiting from support from young, educated, or minority voters. In 2020, [[Joe Biden]] came extremely close to winning the county, with [[Donald Trump]] only edging him out by 890 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 Election Results |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2020/results/general/gen_results_2020_4_by_county_23-1.html |access-date=August 13, 2022 |website=elections.maryland.gov}}</ref> Biden obtained 47.7% of the county's vote, the highest percentage for any Democrat since 1964. Trump also won less than 50% of the vote, the first time a Republican had been held below a majority of the vote in Wicomico County since 1996.

{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Voter registration and party enrollment as of March 2024<ref name="MDBOE">{{cite web |title=Maryland Board of Elections Voter Registration Activity Report March 2024 |url=https://elections.maryland.gov/pdf/vrar/2024_03.pdf |website=Maryland Board of Elections |access-date=April 9, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| align = center | {{formatnum: 26203}}
| align = center | {{Percentage |26203 |66,196 |2}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| align = center | {{formatnum: 23950}}
| align = center | {{Percentage |23950 |66,196 |2}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| Unaffiliated
| align = center | {{formatnum: 14769}}
| align = center | {{Percentage |14769 |66,196 |2}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]]
| align = center | {{formatnum: 361}}
| align = center | {{Percentage |361 |66,196 |2}}
|-
| {{party color cell|None}}
| [[Third party (U.S. politics)|Other parties]]
| align = center | {{formatnum: 913}}
| align = center | {{Percentage |913 |66,196 |2}}
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! align = center | {{formatnum: 66,196}}
! align = center | {{Percentage |100}}
|}

{{PresHead|place=Wicomico County, Maryland|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=June 12, 2018}}</ref>|source2=<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/PresidentList.html|title=Our Campaigns - U.S. President|access-date=January 22, 2021}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|24,065|21,513|1,334|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|22,944|22,054|1,218|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|22,198|18,050|2,299|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|21,764|19,635|860|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|21,849|19,436|569|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|21,998|15,137|368|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|16,338|14,469|988|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|12,687|12,303|2,296|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|13,560|11,481|5,231|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|16,272|9,413|70|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|16,124|8,160|48|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|11,229|9,431|1,245|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|10,537|9,412|0|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|13,115|5,510|190|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|8,707|5,392|4,356|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|7,448|8,695|0|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|8,671|7,350|0|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|9,377|5,289|0|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|9,061|5,878|26|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|5,062|5,415|39|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|5,040|5,674|0|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|4,741|7,198|73|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|4,545|7,273|95|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,812|6,895|48|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|5,923|4,095|15|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|2,604|3,068|271|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|4,225|5,054|30|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|2,539|3,285|98|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|2,038|3,176|558|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|2,273|2,751|158|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|2,179|2,593|128|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|2,376|2,793|205|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|2,022|2,253|347|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|1,427|2,317|282|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|1,441|2,210|236|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|1,354|2,262|65|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1880|Democratic|1,348|2,058|42|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1876|Democratic|1,080|2,073|0|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1872|Democratic|1,081|1,470|0|Maryland}}
{{PresRow|1868|Democratic|421|1,464|0|Maryland}}
|}

Wicomico County's government, since 2006, uses a council-elected executive system where the voters elect members of the County Council and Executive. Prior to 2006, the county operated under a council-administrator system where voters elected council members who in turn appointed an administrator to oversee the government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wboc.com/story/27167247/wicomico-county-executive-race|title=Wicomico County Executive Race|website=www.wboc.com|date=October 30, 2014 |language=en|access-date=June 16, 2019}}</ref>

===County council===
The legislative functions of government are vested in the [[County council|County Council]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wicomico County, MD: County Council|url=https://ecode360.com/13910446|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Wicomico County, MD Code|language=en-US}}</ref> The County Council consists of seven members, five of whom are elected from [[single-member district]]s; the other two are elected [[at-large]].

{| class=wikitable
|+Wicomico County Council<ref>{{cite web |title=County Council Members |url=http://www.wicomicocounty.org/185/County-Council |access-date=March 21, 2025 |publisher=Wicomico County government}}</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;"| District
! align=center | Name
! valign=bottom | Party
! Role&nbsp;
|-
| District 1
| Shanie P. Shields
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| 
|-
| District 2
| Jeff Merritt
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
|Vice President
|-
| District 3
| Shane T. Baker
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
|
|-
| District 4
| Joshua Hastings
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
|
|-
| District 5
| Joseph Holloway
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| 
|-
| At-Large
| John T. Cannon
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| President
|-
| At-Large
| James Winn
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
|
|}

===County executive===
{{see also|List of county executives of Maryland#Wicomico}}
The [[List of county executives of Maryland|county executive]]<ref>{{cite web|date=December 5, 2014|url=http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/36loc/wi/html/wicoex.html|title=County Executives|publisher=Maryland State Archives|access-date=December 8, 2014}}</ref> oversees the executive branch of the County government, which consists of a number of offices and departments.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wicomico County, MD: The Executive Branch|url=https://ecode360.com/13910525|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Wicomico County, MD Code|language=en-US}}</ref>  The executive branch is charged with implementing County law and overseeing the operation of County Government. The position of County Executive was established by a modification of the county's Charter in 2006. Day-to-day functions of the executive branch fall to the appointed Director of Administration, who also serves as the Acting County Executive during vacancies in the office of the County Executive.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wicomico County, MD: Director of Administration.|url=https://ecode360.com/13910549|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Wicomico County, MD Code|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Wicomico County, MD: Vacancy in the Office of County Executive.|url=https://ecode360.com/13910540|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=Wicomico County, MD Code|language=en-US}}</ref> Upon the death of Robert L. "Bob" Culver Jr., on July 26, 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver Passes Away|url=https://www.wboc.com/story/42413767/wicomico-county-executive-bob-culver-has-died-family-says|access-date=August 16, 2021|website=www.wboc.com|date=July 26, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> the Wicomico County Council appointed then-Director of Administration John D. Psota to that role in an acting capacity until the 2022 election cycle for the county executive seat.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Peck|first=Louis|date=September 19, 2020|title=Moving to End Standoff, Wicomico Council Taps County Administrator as Acting Exec|url=https://www.marylandmatters.org/2020/09/18/moving-to-end-standoff-wicomico-council-taps-county-administrator-as-acting-exec/|access-date=August 17, 2021|website=Maryland Matters|language=en-US}}</ref>

In June 2024, the Wicomico County Council voted to approve a referendum for the [[2024 Maryland elections|2024 elections]] on whether to restore Wicomico County to a [[council–manager government]], thereby abolishing the county executive position. The measure, which was not approved by voters, would have gone into effect at the conclusion of Julie Giordano's current term in late 2026.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Peck |first1=Louis |title=Wicomico County Council puts referendum on ballot to do away with county executive’s office |url=https://marylandmatters.org/2024/06/19/wicomico-county-council-puts-referendum-on-ballot-to-do-away-with-county-executives-office/ |access-date=June 19, 2024 |work=[[Maryland Matters]] |date=June 19, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-06 |title=2024 Wicomico County Elections: Live Results |url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/elections/results/2024-11-05/maryland/24045/wicomico-county |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=The Daily Times |language=en}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|+Wicomico County Executive
|-
! style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;"| Name
! valign=bottom | Party
! valign=bottom | From
! valign=bottom | To
|-
| Richard M. Pollitt, Jr.
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| 2006
| 2014
|-
| Robert L. Culver, Jr.
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| 2014
| 2020
|-
|John D. Psota (Acting)
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| 2020
| 2022
|-
|Julie Giordano
| {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| 2022
| 
|}

===Sheriff===
Law enforcement in the county is provided by the [[Wicomico County Sheriff's Office]]. The sheriff, Mike Lewis, a Republican, is an elected official.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wboc.com/story/5771259/mike-lewis-sworn-in-as-wicomico-sheriff|title=Mike Lewis Sworn in as Wicomico Sheriff|access-date=November 10, 2017|language=en}}</ref>  Municipal police agencies exist in the towns of [[Delmar, Maryland|Delmar]] and [[Pittsville, Maryland|Pittsville]], along with the cities of [[Fruitland, Maryland|Fruitland]] and [[Salisbury, Maryland|Salisbury]].

===State's attorney===
The Wicomico County [[State's attorney|State's Attorney]] is responsible for prosecuting the felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile cases occurring in the county. The current elected State's Attorney is Jamie Dykes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/2017/11/10/jamie-dykes-wicomico-interim-states-attorney/845470001/|title=Coming home: Dykes ready to lay groundwork as Wicomico County interim state's attorney|work=Delmarva Daily Times|access-date=November 10, 2017|language=en}}</ref>