ABOUT MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD
ESTABLISHED IN 1776
Montgomery County is Maryland's most populous jurisdiction and is located adjacent to the nation's capital, Washington, DC. The County includes 497 square miles of land area.
Montgomery County, named after General Richard Montgomery, was established by the State Convention in 1776, functioned under the County Commission system until 1948, when voters adopted a charter giving the County home rule and a council-manager form of government. In 1968, the voters approved a new charter providing for separate legislative and executive branches of government, with the legislative power vested in an elected council and executive power in an elected county executive. The new charter was fully implemented in 1970 with the November election of an executive and a council. The County Council is currently composed of nine members, four of whom are nominated and elected by voters from the entire County, and five who are elected by voters in each of the County's five Councilmanic districts. Terms for the County Executive and County Council are 4 years.