Calvin Ball III facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Calvin Ball
10th County Executive of Howard County
Incumbent
Assumed office December 3, 2018
Preceded by	Allan Kittleman
Member of the Howard County Council from the 2nd district
In office April 20, 2006 – December 3, 2018
Preceded by	David Rakes
Succeeded by	Opel Jones
Personal details
Born	(1975-09-02) September 2, 1975 (age 49) Catonsville, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Shani Ball ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	2 daughters
Education	Towson University (BA) University of Baltimore (MA) Morgan State University (EdD)
Signature

Calvin B. Ball III (born September 2, 1975) is an American politician. He is the county executive of Howard County, Maryland. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the first African-American person to be elected to this important job. Before this, he was a member of the Howard County Council for 12 years, from 2006 to 2018.

Early Life and Schooling

Calvin Ball was born in Catonsville, Maryland. His father, Calvin Ball Jr., was a veteran of the Air Force who served in the Vietnam War. His mother, Carolyn Ball, worked with computers.

He went to Woodlawn High School and graduated in 1993. He then went to college and earned three degrees. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Towson University, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Baltimore, and a Doctor of Education degree from Morgan State University.

Political Career

After finishing his education, Ball worked in the Maryland Attorney General's office helping protect consumers. He also taught classes at the University of Phoenix and Morgan State University. For a time, he also served his community as a firefighter and emergency medical technician.

In 2001, he ran for a seat on the Howard County Council but did not win the primary election. He later worked as an aide for a state delegate. In 2006, he ran for the County Council again.

Howard County Council

Ball's official portrait on the Howard County Council

In March 2006, the council member for District 2, David Rakes, resigned. The local Democratic Party chose Ball to take his place. He was sworn into the Howard County Council on April 20, 2006.

During his time on the council, he was known for his progressive ideas. He was chosen three times to be the chairperson of the council, becoming the youngest person ever to have that role.

Howard County Executive

A county executive is like the mayor of a county. They are in charge of the county's government and make sure services like schools, police, and parks run smoothly.

Elections

In 2017, Ball decided to run for Howard County Executive against the person holding the job at the time, Allan H. Kittleman. Ball's campaign focused on improving schools, protecting the environment, and making the county's economy stronger. In a close race, Ball won the election in November 2018.

He ran for a second term in 2022, once again against Allan Kittleman. Ball won this election as well, earning another four years as county executive.

Time in Office

Ball being sworn in as county executive in 2018

Ball was sworn in as Howard County's first African-American county executive on December 3, 2018. As executive, he has focused on important issues like education, public safety, and the environment.

In 2023, he was elected president of the Maryland Association of Counties, an organization where leaders from all of Maryland's counties work together.

Key Issues and Policies

As a leader, Calvin Ball has worked on many different issues to improve life in Howard County.

COVID-19 Pandemic

Ball tours a mass vaccination site at the Mall in Columbia in 2021

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Ball took action to keep people safe. He declared a state of emergency and closed some public places to slow the spread of the virus. He also created programs to help people who were struggling, such as providing money for food and rent.

Later, he helped open mass vaccination clinics, including one at The Mall in Columbia, to make it easier for people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Public Safety

During Ball's time as executive, Howard County has seen a drop in crime. He has worked to hire more police officers. He also supported a program to have police officers wear body cameras. This helps build trust between the police and the community.

Environment and Development

The Quaker Mill Flood Mitigation Pond, part of Ball's plan to prevent flooding, pictured in 2023

After major floods damaged Ellicott City, Ball announced a large plan to prevent future disasters. The plan included building a tunnel to carry away floodwater and creating special ponds, called retention ponds, to hold extra rainwater.

Ball also had Howard County join the Paris Agreement, an international promise to fight climate change. He set a goal for the county to be carbon neutral, meaning it won't add any new carbon pollution to the atmosphere, by the year 2050. He also signed a law that puts a 5-cent fee on disposable plastic bags to encourage people to use reusable ones.

Education

Ball testifying in support of the SERVE Act in 2023

Education has been a top priority for Ball. He has worked to increase funding for the Howard County Public School System. In 2023, he proposed the largest single-year increase in school funding in the county's history.

He also helped fix a major budget problem in the school system's health care fund. By 2022, the problem was solved, which helped make the school system financially stronger.

Social Issues

Ball has supported laws to protect people from discrimination. In 2011, while on the County Council, he voted for a bill to ban discrimination against transgender people. As county executive, he signed a law requiring single-user bathrooms to have gender-neutral signs.

He also supported making public places healthier by banning smoking and vaping.

Personal Life

Shani Ball in 2018

Calvin Ball married his wife, Shani, in 1998. They have two daughters and have lived in Columbia, Maryland, since 1999.

Electoral history