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County Council Member · District 7 · Baltimore County · 2026 Primary
County Council Members serve as the legislative branch of county government, passing local laws and approving the annual budget that funds public schools, roads, and emergency services. They set local tax rates and make final decisions on land use and zoning, which determines where new homes and businesses can be built. This office is responsible for prioritizing how your tax dollars are spent and managing the long-term growth and infrastructure of your community.
View all candidates in this raceCaridad "Cari" Santiago is a candidate for Baltimore County Council Member representing District 7 under the new map for the 2026 election. She describes herself as a neighbor and advocate who never envisioned running for elected office but considers that lack of prior experience among her strengths. Her platform emphasizes leadership defined by transparency, integrity, and cooperation across diverse communities within the district. Santiago advocates for decisions based on objective data and lived experiences rather than isolating community boundaries through district lines. She prioritizes strengthening schools from the bottom up, expanding job stability programs, lowering housing costs through responsible development, and ensuring ethical governance regarding council compensation. The Baltimore Sun reports that her race is part of a crowded Democratic primary landscape set to potentially shake up county leadership in 2026.
Sources: Campaign website
I am here because Baltimore County needs leadership that advocates for its residents with transparency, integrity, and cooperation.
A District boundary should not isolate our communities; instead, it should allow for all voices to be heard as we come together as one County.
Education Build strong communities by supporting schools from the bottom up to improve academic performance and career outcomes for our students.
Campaigns should be powered by neighbors, not lobbyists.
Source: cariforbcc.com
Education
Support schools from the bottom up to improve academic performance and career outcomes for students, starting with listening to staff who work directly with families.
“Build strong communities by supporting schools from the bottom up to improve academic performance and career outcomes for our students. That starts with listening to the staff who work directly with students and families”
Community Development
Expand programs offering mentoring, training, and job fair access to ensure residents have clear paths to good jobs and long-term stability.
“Expand programs that offer mentoring, training, and access to job fairs so residents in every part of District 7 have clear paths to good jobs and long-term stability.”
Government Ethics
Advocate for the people in District 7 with full-time attention and create a transparent, ethical process for Council compensation adjustments.
“Advocacy for the people in District 7 will have my full-time attention. I will work to create a transparent and ethical process for how the County Council makes compensation adjustments for their own positions.”
Environment
Improve access to existing parks and green spaces while planning long-term for new gathering places where families can enjoy the outdoors.
“Improve the access to—and experience of—the parks and green spaces we already have, while planning long-term for new places where families and neighbors can gather and enjoy the outdoors.”
External coverage notes that Baltimore County is on the cusp of potentially sweeping changes to its elected leadership in this year's primary election. The race includes a competitive Democratic primary for the county executive and crowded races for new council seats. No specific background or controversies regarding her are detailed in the provided news snippet beyond the context of a crowded field.
“Build strong communities by supporting schools from the bottom up to improve academic performance and career outcomes for our students.”
Source“Expand programs that offer mentoring, training, and access to job fairs so residents in every part of District 7 have clear paths to good jobs and long-term stability.”
Source“I will work to create a transparent and ethical process for how the County Council makes compensation adjustments for their own positions.”
Source“Improve the access to—and experience of—the parks and green spaces we already have, while planning long-term for new places where families and neighbors can gather and enjoy the outdoors.”
Source