Dorchester County council says charter advertising lapse may have invalidated 2024 election results

George L. Pfeffer Jr., president of the Dorchester County Council, told the council March 4 that an administrative error likely invalidated the County’s 2024 general election results because charter amendment resolutions adopted in July 2024 were not advertised in a newspaper of general circulation for five consecutive weeks as required by law.

“We discovered that a critical step was missed in the process of amending the Charter, invalidating the County’s 2024 General Election results,” Pfeffer said. County Attorney Charles MacLeod told the council he is reviewing whether the previously adopted amendments can instead be reflected in the County Code.

The announcement followed a bond review that brought the omission to light. Pfeffer said the Council and the Charter Review Commission have met to discuss legality and next procedural steps; the commission and the council will determine whether any, all, or none of the amendments are placed on the ballot at the next election.

MacLeod said he is examining options under Maryland law and whether any statutory remedy would allow the substance of the amendments to be incorporated into County Code. The transcript records no immediate decision on whether to re‑run the affected ballot questions or the timeline for that work.

During public comment Council staff reassured attendees that, according to the County Manager, prior administrative decisions taken by the manager will remain in effect while the legal review proceeds. The council did not take further action at the March 4 meeting; the Charter Review Commission is expected to weigh the issue and report back to the council.