Howard Question A — Charter Amendment: Gender Neutrality

What it does

The County Charter uses gender-specific words like "he" and "she". The Charter Amendment would replace these types of words with gender-neutral words like "they" and "them". A vote for the Amendment would make gender-neutral changes to the Charter. A vote against the Amendment would leave gender-specific words unchanged in the Charter.

A YES vote means

Howard County's charter would replace gender-specific words like "he" and "she" with gender-neutral words like "they" and "them."

A NO vote means

The gender-specific words in the charter would stay unchanged.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

Council Resolution CR23-2026 was introduced on January 5, 2026 and was on the agenda of the County Council's March 2, 2026 legislative session.

According to the Council's fiscal analysis, the Howard County LGBTQIA+ Commission recommended in a 2025 letter that the Charter be reviewed for gender-neutral language. The analysis cites Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Prince George's counties as peer jurisdictions that have done so.

The Office of Law estimates the cost of updating the Charter at about $2,600, according to the fiscal analysis.

Put on the ballot by Howard County Council (CR23-2026).

From official source 1, official source 2, official source 3.

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Howard County ballots

• Howard Question B — Charter Amendment: Affordable For-Sale Housing Projects

All Howard County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Howard Question A mean?

Howard County's charter would replace gender-specific words like "he" and "she" with gender-neutral words like "they" and "them."

What does a NO vote on Howard Question A mean?

The gender-specific words in the charter would stay unchanged.

How many votes does Howard Question A need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Howard Question A?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.