The state legislature can override a veto by a three-fifths (60%) vote of the total number of members in each house.

The governor appoints almost all military and civil officers of the State subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

The Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State and is elected by the people every four years with no term limits.

To run for the office a person must be a citizen of and qualified voter in Maryland and must have resided and practiced law in the state for at least ten years.

This arrangement can lead to significant conflict when the Attorney General and Governor have strongly differing views.

The office was established by the Maryland Constitution of 1851 due to concern about the potential for fraud and corruption in the administration of the public treasury.

In addition, the comptroller's office audits taxpayers for compliance, handles delinquent tax collection, and enforces license and unclaimed property laws.

The agency publicizes forgotten bank accounts, insurance benefits and other unclaimed assets of taxpayers.

The Treasurer, currently Dereck E. Davis, is the principal custodian of the State's cash deposits, money from bond sales, and other securities and collateral and directs the investments of those assets.

The Treasurer is elected by a joint ballot of both houses of the General Assembly, a tradition begun starting with the Maryland Constitution of 1851, which also created the Board of Public Works (see below).

Because of the close relationship with the General Assembly, the Treasurer briefs the members of the Legislature on matters concerning the State Treasury.

The State Board of Public Works was first created by the Maryland Constitution of 1864 and is composed of the Governor, who chairs it, the Comptroller, and the Treasurer.

The state's legislative branch is styled as the General Assembly and consists of a 47-member Senate and a 141-member House of Delegates.

The current pattern for distribution of seats began with the legislative apportionment plan of 1972 and has been revised every ten years thereafter according to the results of the decennial U.S. Census.

The Senate is led by a President and the House by a Speaker whose respective duties and prerogatives enable them to influence the legislative process significantly.

This system is similar to the Missouri Plan, which is used in 11 states to fill judicial appointments, in that voters get to decide whether or not to continue a judge in office.

However, it is different in that the Governor's choice in whom to appoint is not limited by a Judicial Selection Commission and the State Senate must confirm the nominee before the judge takes office.

The judge may be opposed formally by one or more qualified members of the bar, with the successful candidate that the people have elected to a fifteen-year term.

The Maryland District Court has jurisdiction in minor civil and criminal matters, and in virtually all violations of the Motor Vehicle Law.

Small claims (civil cases involving amounts not exceeding $5,000) also come under the jurisdiction of the District Court.

District Court judges are appointed by the Governor to ten-year terms, subject to Senate confirmation.

[4] Note that the independent city of Baltimore is typically considered to be on par with the counties; it is reckoned as a county-equivalent for census purposes.

County commissioners have no authority to act in local matters without the express prior consent of the General Assembly.

As a result of this, the General Assembly spends considerable time dealing with local issues, ordinances, and expenditures.

Due partly to the large amount of time spent by the state legislature on local matters, the Maryland Constitution was amended in 1915 to allow counties the option of operating under a charter form of government, with substantial home rule power.

Their authority is fairly broadly construed, though the regulation of elections and the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages is reserved to the General Assembly.

The General Assembly also retains considerable authority over taxation, except in Baltimore and Montgomery counties.

They are: Anne Arundel (1964),[9] Baltimore (1956), Cecil (2012), Dorchester (2002), Frederick (2014),[10] Harford (1972), Howard (1968), Montgomery (1948), Prince George's (1970), Talbot (1973), and Wicomico (1964) Counties.

[7] "Express Powers" include franchises, appointment and compensation of county officers, merit system, pensions, group health benefits and joint pooling agreements, tax collections, campground and RVs, publishing and audits, claim proof, competitive bidding and bonds, records, health measures, road maintenance and engineering, prisoner compensation, county police, hearings, plumbing and zoning permits, residential land development, building code, licensing, parks and recreation, refuse collection and disposal.