Baltimore Sheriff challenger Sabrina Tapp-Harper celebrates apparent victory over Sam Cogen

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joined sheriff candidate Sabrina Tapp-Harper late Tuesday at her election night watch party as supporters celebrated her apparent victory.

“Now the work begins,” Tapp-Harper said. “It is time to unite behind our common purpose: making Baltimore safer, stronger and more for everyone.”

Tapp-Harper would become the first female sheriff in Baltimore’s history if her lead over first-term incumbent Sam Cogen holds. With nearly all precincts, Tapp-Harper had a significant lead over Cogen.

Scott endorsed Tapp-Harper late in the race and campaigned with her in the rain Tuesday. He said he’s known her for years and trusts her. “For me, this race is also about every single time people tell Black Baltimore women what they can’t do, they show them what they can do,” Scott said.

The election was a bit of a grudge match, with Tapp-Harper suing Cogen for alleged discrimination and retaliation. Cogen had backed Scott’s opponent, Sheila Dixon, two years ago.

Other courthouse races are also on the ballot, though they drew few competitors. Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates faced no opposition, nor did Clerk of Courts Xavier Conaway, though his mother is being challenged by a former deputy for her position as register of wills.

Sheriff

Going into Election Day, Cogen had a significant fundraising advantage and the support of most of the area’s elected leaders. Baltimore voters elected his predecessor for eight consecutive terms; he was trying to avoid going one-and-done.

The city’s police and sheriff’s deputies’ unions backed Tapp-Harper, an East Baltimore native who spent 26 years with the Baltimore Police Department.

She joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2014, where she created a nationally recognized Domestic Violence Unit and established the Sheriff’s Office in-service training program.

Cogen spent 25 years with the sheriff’s office, rising through the ranks before taking on John W. Anderson, the sheriff first elected in 1989. Cogen has been credited with modernizing the office, reforming the eviction process, and getting sheriff’s deputies out to more community events and working alongside other law enforcement agencies.

Register of wills

Incumbent Belinda Conaway had a sizeable lead over challenger Shanai Dunmore, a real estate agent who was chief deputy of the office when she resigned in 2019. The Daily Record interviewed the candidates earlier this month.

Conaway is a former city councilwoman who has held the position since 2014, and the Conaway family has had a firm grip on elected courthouse positions for decades.

Clerk of courts

Conaway’s son, Xavier, is running unopposed for a second term as clerk of courts after winning his first term at just age 25. His grandfather, Frank M. Conaway Sr., held the spot from 1998 until 2015.

State’s Attorney

How well has Ivan Bates’ first term as state’s attorney gone? Well enough that the Democratic primary election is uncontested for the first time since Patricia Jessamy ran unopposed in 1998.

Bates has nonetheless campaigned like he was taking nothing for granted — or because he’s potentially looking to run for mayor in two years.

Despite running unopposed, Bates has raised about $90,000 so far this year and reported having $174,000 in cash on hand. And he published a sample ballot of candidates in other races that he supported.