Gov. Larry Hogan will choose between two people to temporarily fill the seat left by former state Sen. Nathaniel T. Oaks after the Democratic Central Committee for Baltimore’s 41st District remained split after five votes.
Hogan will chose between former Del. Jill P. Carter and Joyce J. Smith, both of whom received two votes from the committee. Smith was one of the voters and voted for herself. Two of the committee members, former Baltimore City Councilwoman Rikki Spector and Del. Angela C. Gibson, abstained from the final vote.
Eight people applied to fill the vacancy, but only seven presented themselves to the committee at a public forum held at the Forest Park Golf Club on Tuesday evening. In addition to Smith and Carter, Gary Brooks, James Butler, Charles Smith, Jay Steinmetz and former state Del. Shawn Tarrant all were interviewed.
Carter, who is now the director of Baltimore’s civil rights office, is competing against educator J.D. Merrill in the June Democratic primary for the seat.