Judge of the Orphans' Court
June 23, 2026 · Baltimore city, Maryland · County · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 15 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 573,243 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(1,065,949 ÷ 573,243) ÷ ln(1,065,949 ÷ 19,346) = 15.47, comparing counties in MD (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
This office is responsible for:
- Hearing trials — criminal cases, lawsuits, family, or probate matters, depending on the court
- Ruling on evidence, motions, and sentences
- Applying state law and court procedure fairly in every case
Affected Areas: Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Civil Rights, Impartiality, Legal Competence
Candidates
Charles "Chuck" Bernstein
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Charles "Chuck" Bernstein is a Democratic judge on the Baltimore City Orphans' Court. Maryland's official government manual lists him as an incumbent judge with a term ending in 2026, and state election records list him as an active 2026 candidate.
Records: Legal Competence 1 for
Lewyn Scott Garrett
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Lewyn Scott Garrett is the Democratic chief judge of the Baltimore City Orphans' Court. Maryland's official government manual lists him as the court's incumbent chief judge with a term ending in 2026, and state election records list him as an active 2026 candidate.
Records: Legal Competence 1 for
Michele E. Loewenthal
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Michele E. Loewenthal is a Democratic judge on the Baltimore City Orphans' Court. Maryland's official government manual says she has served on the court since 2011, and state election records list her as an active 2026 candidate.
Records: Legal Competence 2 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for
Election sources
Source: elections.maryland.gov
Source: elections.maryland.gov
Source: elections.maryland.gov