Presidential candidate Martin O’Malley will speak at the University of Virginia on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m. His talk, “Future Leaders Forum,” is being sponsored by the Batten Graduate Council and held at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy in Garrett Hall. 

Governor O’Malley began his political career in 1991 by winning a seat on Baltimore City Council. He was elected Mayor in 1999 at the age of 36 by receiving 91% of the vote in the general election. During his term as mayor, O’Malley adopted CitiStat, a performance-based system that tracks areas of underperformance, using computerized databases to reach targets and results. In 2004, the CitiStat system won Harvard University’s Innovations in American Government award.

In 2004, O’Malley was re-elected mayor in the general election with 88% of the vote. In 2006, he was nominated by the Democratic Party to challenge incumbent Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich. O’Malley was elected Governor by a 6.5% margin. During his first term, he adapted the CitiStat system as “StateStat” for all of Maryland government. In 2010 Governor O’Malley won re-election and served out his term until January 2015. During his two terms, O’Malley had great success in job creation, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce naming Maryland #1 in innovation and entrepreneurship three years in a row. 

Governor O’Malley formally announced his candidacy for president on May 30, 2015, at Baltimore’s Federal Hill Park. He has appeared in both of the televised Democratic debates held so far. He received his undergraduate degree from the Catholic University of America and his JD from the University of Maryland School of Law.