Aaron Penman

REPUBLICAN County Council - Councilmanic District B

JURISDICTION

Harford County

OFFICE LEVEL

County

CONTACT

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// CAMPAIGN & CONTACT

penmanfordistrictb@gmail.com

// TLDR

HIGH

Aaron David Penman, a Republican, was elected to represent District B on the Harford County Council in 2022. His tenure was marked by legal challenges regarding his simultaneous employment as a sheriff’s deputy, leading to his removal from the council in early 2025. In June 2026, a judge ordered his reinstatement, acknowledging the wrongful nature of his prior removal.

⛓ 4 SOURCES

[1] Penman to return to Harford Council more than year after wrongful removal (unavailable) — "A judge Friday ordered Aaron Penman reinstated to the Harford County Council seat he was ousted from more than a year ago." PRIMARY

[2] Aaron D. Penman, County Council, Harford County, Maryland — "AARON DAVID PENMAN (Republican), Member, County Council, Harford County, representing District B, December 5, 2022 to February 26, 2025." PRIMARY

[3] Judge says Penman can’t serve on Harford County Council while employed by sheriff’s office — "A Harford County judge has ruled that the county charter bars Aaron Penman from serving on the Harford County Council because of his empl..." PRIMARY

[4] Sheriff Gahler Rehires Sgt. Aaron Penman Following Maryland Supreme Court Ruling — "Sheriff Gahler announced the rehiring of Sgt. Aaron Penman, who had previously separated from the Sheriff’s Office due to his election as..." PRIMARY

// BIO

HIGH UNVERIFIABLE

This section could not be verified and is not available.

// POLICY POSITIONS

HIGH

Public Safety: Aaron Penman has emphasized his extensive experience in law enforcement, serving as a deputy sheriff in Harford County since 2001 and as a detective in the Narcotics Task Force from 2005 to 2015. He has also been the president of the Deputy Sheriffs Union since 2016.

Dual Employment and Ethics: Penman has been involved in legal disputes regarding his simultaneous roles as a Harford County Council member and a sergeant with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office. A Harford County Circuit Court judge ruled in January 2025 that holding both positions violated the county charter, leading to his removal from the council. Penman has appealed this decision, arguing that his dual roles do not constitute a conflict of interest.

Reinstatement Efforts: Following his removal, Penman has been actively seeking reinstatement to his council seat. In May 2026, a judge vacated the previous order that led to his removal, but did not immediately reinstate him, citing the need to address the current occupant of the seat.

⛓ 4 SOURCES

[1] Judge rules Harford sheriff’s deputy must vacate council seat (unavailable) — "A Harford County Council member is vowing to fight a court order that would remove him from office because of his employment with the cou..." PRIMARY

[2] Judge ready to reverse order removing Penman from council; won’t say if he should be reinstated (unavailable) — "Circuit Judge W. Michel Pierson vacated a 2025 order forcing Penman from office. But he stopped short of restoring the Republican to his ..." PRIMARY

[3] Aaron D. Penman, County Council, Harford County, Maryland — "Deputy Sheriff, Harford County, 2001-22, 2023- (supervisor, community services unit). Detective, Narcotics Task Force, Harford County, 20..." PRIMARY

[4] Judge says Penman can’t serve on Harford County Council while employed by sheriff’s office — "Circuit Court Judge Richard Bernhardt ordered Penman removed from the council on Thursday, citing a portion of the county charter that sa..." PRIMARY

// VOTING RECORD

LOW UNVERIFIABLE

This section could not be verified and is not available.

// CAMPAIGN FINANCE

MEDIUM UNVERIFIABLE

This section could not be verified and is not available.

// ENDORSEMENTS

MEDIUM

Jeff Gahler, Harford County Sheriff (2022-07-01)

⛓ 1 SOURCE

[1] Aaron Penman - United for a Safer, Stronger Harford — "Aaron Penman has worked hard to support Public Safety in our community. He is a strong conservative Republican and will be a great repres..." PRIMARY

// DISCLAIMER

This candidate profile was generated using AI-assisted research and is not official ballot information. While we strive for accuracy and verify all cited sources, errors may occur. Always consult official election resources at elections.maryland.gov for authoritative information.

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