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County Council Member · District 8 · 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 raceCrystal Cody grew up in Southeast Baltimore County where she was shaped by District 8 neighborhoods, schools, small businesses, churches, and waterfront communities. She is a mom, wife, and daughter of two veterans who brings lived experience as a working family to public service. For twenty years, Crystal has worked across federal, state, and local government leading modernization efforts, improving service delivery, advocating for working families, and managing complex multi-million-dollar portfolios. Her career focused on strengthening partnerships across agencies, improving how government communicates and delivers services, making systems easier for people to navigate, and ensuring communities receive quality services they are promised. She is running for Baltimore County Council Member in District 8 because she believes Southeast Baltimore County deserves leadership that is proactive, future-focused, and grounded in real solutions addressing root causes.
Sources: Campaign website
Crystal isn't entering public service as an outsider. She is a neighbor who understands the realities, challenges, and strengths of the community because she has lived them.
Deliver crystal clear solutions on day one
Prepare the county for the future, rather than patching over the past
Strengthen our foundation without draining another part of the community
Good government shouldn't be a maze- it should be a partnership. Residents should know what's happening, why it's happening, and how it affects everyone before decisions are made.
A future built alongside the Community Service is not a slogan, it is a way of life.
Source: crystalcody.org
Education
Fully funding schools with modern safe buildings, quality curriculum preparing students for college and trades, competitive wages for educators so they can afford to live in communities they strengthen, ensuring unions have power at bargaining table
“As a product of Baltimore County Public Schools, I know firsthand what it means when a community invests in its children. Fully funding our schools isn't just a talking point — it's a commitment to the future of every student, every educator, and every family in District 8.”
Infrastructure
Addressing lack of walkable grocery stores, vacant retail shops, lack of sidewalks, aging roads, bridges, schools, and other infrastructure through proactive solutions
“Walked neighborhoods with residents, county planners, agency heads, civic associations, and faith leaders hearing directly from families about the lack of walkable grocery stores, vacant retail shops, lack of sidewalks, aging roads, bridges, schools, and other infrastructure”
Economic Development
Helping business owners thrive in Essex, Middle River, Chase, White Marsh, and Rosedale; sustainable growth for retail shopping centers and malls; strategy to bring life back into vacant business corridors
“Business owners should be able to thrive in Essex, Middle River, Chase, White Marsh, and Rosedale. Retail shopping centers and malls need a plan for sustainable business growth. Vacant business corridors need a strategy that brings life back into them.”
Seniors
Providing relief from rising property taxes for seniors on fixed retirement income, creating atmosphere where seniors feel secure
“Seniors on fixed retirement income deserve relief from rising property taxes. A atmosphere where seniors feel secure”
Public Safety
Emergency service agencies deserve modern facilities and state of the art technology to keep pace with growth; facilitating hackathons to develop policy resolutions to solve pressing public safety challenges
“Emergency service agencies deserve modern facilities and state of the art technology to keep pace with growth”
Environment
Protecting green spaces, shorelines, and community assets; aging housing stock should be leverage as a pillar for smart, responsible growth, to help preserve green space and protect areas from overdevelopment
“Outcomes: Protect our green spaces, shorelines, and community assets. Aging housing stock should be leverage as a pillar for smart, responsible growth, to help preserve green space and protect areas from overdevelopment”
Government Ethics
Transparent, responsive, data-driven leadership; government services accessible, responsive, and transparent; educating community on how to advocate for issues they care about
“Crystal believes residents deserve a government that educates, communicates, and reaches every person. Crystal's governing philosophy is clear: Deliver crystal clear solutions on day one”
Community Development
Building team where progress is standard not slogan; improving schools to prevent overcrowding or falling apart; developing libraries, parks, gardens, trails, and recreation centers through public-private partnerships
“A team where progress is a standard, not a slogan. Students deserve to learn in schools that aren't overcrowded or falling apart. All residents deserve access to modern libraries, parks, gardens, trails, and recreation centers built through public-private partnerships”
Veterans
Developing philanthropic opportunities to honor veterans; daughter of two veterans with lived experience bringing to public service
“She is a mom, wife, and daughter of two veterans. Developed philanthropic opportunities to honor veterans”
“Fully funding our schools isn't just a talking point — it's a commitment to the future of every student, every educator, and every family in District 8.”
Source“Aging roads, bridges, schools, and other infrastructure”
Source“Business owners should be able to thrive in Essex, Middle River, Chase, White Marsh, and Rosedale”
Source“Seniors on fixed retirement income deserve relief from rising property taxes”
Source“Protect our green spaces, shorelines, and community assets”
Source