Johns Hopkins study finds historic low in Salisbury elections voter turnout
Salisbury, Md. – According to a report out of the Johns Hopkins University, voter turnout in Salisbury is lower and local elections are more expensive compared to other municipalities in the region.
The study found voter turnout in Salisbury stands at 18%, much lower than the seven other Mid-Atlantic jurisdictions JHU researchers studied including Maryland cities Annapolis, Bel-Air, Cumberland, Frederick, Hagerstown and Takoma Park as well as Dover, Del. The study was commissioned by the Greater Salisbury Committee, the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic (PACE) out of Salisbury University.
“We’re just asking the question, ‘is 18% voter turnout good enough for you?'” GSC CEO and President Mike Dunn said. “If it is, that’s fine. But if it isn’t and you’d like to do better, then here are how some of your peer cities are doing it.”
The study was conducted in January 2026 out of JHU’s Immersion Program for graduate students in its Master of Science and Engineering Management and Master of Science in Global Innovation and Leadership through Engineering project. JHU researchers also found cities that hold elections held outside regular election cycles, like Salisbury, “are significantly more expensive than consolidated elections.” The study itself drew no conclusions, but GSC, PACE and SACC believe the research is important to address and eventually boost voter turnout.
“The City business community hopes whatever changes are made to the current election scenario, it will lead to encouraging more qualified candidates choosing to run in future city elections,” SACC President and CEO Bill Chambers said in an email statement to WMDT. “That can only benefit our businesses and residents moving forward.”
City Councilwoman Angela Blake said she is advocating for election reform.
“At the core of this conversation is a simple principle: leadership should reflect the majority of voters,” she said in an email to WMDT. “Winning with 36% of the vote is not a true vote of confidence, nor does it fully represent the will of the community.”
Mayor Randy Taylor won the mayoral election with a little over a 36% margin, a margin Blake said should not be politically acceptable, though it is legal.
“The report has put been put together by outside collaborators,” Taylor said in a statement to WMDT. “The council showed no interest in moving the concept forward. I think at some point — we have to look at what the political motivations might be.”
Councilwoman Michele Gregory said the study does not tell officials what to do, only giving them the tools to decide what works best for the city.
“This isn’t about pushing a specific outcome. It is about making sure more people are actually participating in our democracy,” she said in an email statement to WMDT. “For the first time, we have a clear, unbiased comparison of how Salisbury stacks up against similar cities. If only one in five voters are showing up, we should all be asking why and what we can do better.”
Gregory added that if the city is spending more than comparable cities on elections, “we should understand why and make sure we are being responsible with taxpayer dollars.”
Dunn said the study allows for more conversation and leaves it up to elected officials and reisdents to determine how the data could help improve voter turnout in Salisbury.
