(a) In General. In addition to the requirement of residence as provided in Section 201(a) of this Article, each member of the County Council shall be a qualified voter of the County and not less than twenty-five years of age at the time of their election and shall have resided within the County for a period of one year immediately preceding this election.
(b) Other Offices. No person shall qualify or serve as a member of the County Council while holding any other office, position, or employment for compensation or profit of or under the County government, or any State or Federal government office, except for service with a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces. After qualifying as such, no member of the County Council, notwithstanding the fact that they may thereafter resign, shall during the whole period of time for which they were elected be eligible for appointment to any County office, position or employment carrying compensation.
(c) Change of Residence. If any member of the County Council during their term of office shall move their residence from the councilmanic district in which they resided at the time of their election, their office shall be forthwith vacated; but no member of the County Council shall be required to vacate their office by reason of any change in the boundary lines of their councilmanic district made during their term.
(Bill No. 56-80; Res. No. 28-10; Res. No. 30-22)
Attorney’s note – Resolution No. 28-10 modified this Section. The title of the Resolution indicated that it was proposing an amendment to the Charter “to allow service on the County Council by an employee of the State or federal government...”. The body of the Resolution made changes only related to the exception for reserve duty, and did not modify the prohibition for service on the Council while holding an office, position, or employment with the State or federal government. The Resolution passed, and the question presented to the voters stated:
To amend the Anne Arundel County Charter to allow State and federal employees and members of the reserve components of the United States Armed Services to serve on the Anne Arundel County Council, provided that any member ordered to active federal or State service for a period of time longer than 180 days shall vacate his or her office as a member of the Council, and the vacancy will be filled in the manner provided in the County Charter.
(Emphasis added.) The question passed by an overwhelming majority. It is the opinion of the County Attorney that, despite the language in the body of the Section, the ballot question as passed controls, and State and federal employees may serve on the Anne Arundel County Council.