Ward 1, mayoral candidates show divides at Annapolis forum

How to preserve the historic character of Annapolis — and who is best positioned to do it — was the focus of a forum Wednesday that brought together candidates for mayor and the City Council’s Ward 1 seat.

Historic Annapolis, a nonprofit that manages several buildings on behalf of the state of Maryland, hosted the event at the William Paca House and Garden, and former Ward 1 Alderman John Hammond moderated.

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“I know firsthand that representing Ward 1 is a tough job, but it was a great job,” Hammond said at the end of the forum.

The Ward 1 race is crowded. Five Democrats and an unaffiliated candidate are vying for the seat Harry Huntley secured last year through an appointment by the Democratic Central Committee. Either Huntley or one of his fellow Democrats — Ben Bramsen, Ron Gunzburger, Genevieve Torri or Katie McDermott — will face unaffiliated candidate Tom Krieck. No Republicans are running in the ward. No other ward has more than two Democrats in the primary.

At the forum, several candidates criticized Huntley.

Gunzburger objected when Huntley said he opposed allowing taller buildings downtown, pointing to Huntley’s vote to advance legislation that would raise the height limit. Huntley said the vote was only to move the bill to a second reader, where it could be revised and improved.

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Huntley said after the forum that his legislative record shows he is working to improve the city.

“There’s a way we can change the status quo by making our city better, by moving our city forward. There’s a way we can change the status quo by tearing our city down,” Huntley said. “Someone who says city government isn’t working for people, but we can make it work. … That’s what I am.”

The Ward 1 candidates largely agreed that building heights should not be raised and that short-term rental units are damaging the city’s community and need to be regulated.

The candidates also recently answered questions for the Capital Gazette voter guide, which has more details on their positions.

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Source: https://www.capitalgazette.com/2025/08/27/annapolis-ward-1-mayor-candidate-forum/