Her Turn Now

Odette Ramos’ ascension as Baltimore’s first-ever Latinx City Council member did not come easily.

- Adam Bednar

Standing on the sidewalk outside of Odette Ramos’ home in Abell, a smattering of residents perform the awkward dance of trying to interact socially while simultaneously remaining socially distant. A few neighbors occasionally pull down their masks to sip beer, despite the election night chill, as they await the first vote counts. Ramos, a Democrat who is on the ballot, is wearing a purple blazer with black trim and a black face mask with white lace, a nod to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. With her bright orange, rectangle-framed glasses pushed atop her head, she sets pizza and wines out on a table in front of the Victorian cottage she shares with her daughter and husband. A neighbor lugs a big-screen television onto their lawn so folks gathered outside can watch cable news coverage of the presidential election. Across the street, another neighbor blasts disco from a sound system.

The attempt to create a festive vibe, however, only exacerbates the tension surrounding the presidential election. That anxiety mounts as Donald Trump unexpectedly surges to a big lead in Florida, dampening the mood among Ramos’ backers. The results from her contest provide some lift, however, as supporters process the drip, drip, drip of the initially disappointing national news (for Democrats). The first count released online by the Baltimore’s Board of Elections shows Ramos dominating her race against Republican Charles Long and likely to succeed retiring City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke in District 14.