Mary Ann Lisanti

Mary Ann Lisanti (born October 27, 1967) is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party, who represented District 34A in the Maryland House of Delegates. Previously she represented district F on the Harford County Council, representing Havre de Grace, Abingdon, Belcamp/Riverside and Aberdeen Proving Ground. In January 2014 Lisanti filed to run for the Maryland House of Delegates and to not seek a 3rd term on the County Council. She was first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. Before her tenure in the state legislature, she served on the Harford County Council. In early March 2019, the House of Delegates unanimously censured Lisanti for a racial slur directed at the African-American majority Prince George's County, with her own county's Democratic Party calling for her resignation. She later earned an undergraduate degree from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and a master's degree from Central Michigan University.

Career

Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway Before entering elected office, Lisanti served as executive director of the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway (LSHG), a nonprofit heritage organization serving Harford and Cecil counties. During her tenure, LSHG secured grant funding for heritage and preservation initiatives. In July 2010, the organization received more than $350,000 in grants, including $231,000 in matching funds from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority to support management, marketing, and preservation projects.

Lisanti promoted the development of a 40-mile trail network along the Susquehanna River to connect historic sites and encourage heritage tourism in the region. She also pursued a $4 million federal grant to support trail building and community linkage.

Under her leadership, LSHG participated in multiple preservation projects, including restoration work at Rodgers Tavern in Perryville, a historic 18th-century structure that received grants from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and Maryland General Assembly. The organization also conducted research and mapping of historic canal remnants along the Lower Susquehanna to document and preserve 18th- and 19th-century infrastructure. In April 2013, Lisanti organized the 13th annual River Sweep cleanup, which brought together nearly 300 volunteers to remove debris along the river.

Harford County Council (2006–2014) Before her election to the Maryland House of Delegates, Lisanti served two terms on the Harford County Council.

During her tenure on the County Council, Lisanti served on several committees, including the Chesapeake National Historic Trail Advisory Board by President Barack Obama and the County Horse Park Task Force, among others. Maryland Governors Martin O'Malley and Larry Hogan appointed her as Vice Chairman of the State's Growth Commission. Additionally, she chaired the Local Government Advisory Committee, which provided recommendations to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Lisanti focused on fiscal oversight, questioning the creation of a $10.3 million retiree trust fund in 2008 and opposing cost-of-living and salary increases for elected officials in 2011. She voted against wind-energy system legislation in 2009 and opposed tax increment financing for the Beechtree Estates development in 2010.

On October 18, 2011, Lisanti introduced Resolution No. 28-11 establishing the Harford County Obesity Task Force, recognizing obesity as a public health concern and leading to a final report with nine recommendations developed by community subcommittees focused on healthy food access, the built environment, and public engagement. In 2012, she strongly opposed a proposed Walmart in Abingdon, supporting a council resolution requesting the state deny road access to the site. Lisanti also publicly opposed marijuana legalization in 2014.

Lisanti won re-election in 2010, Beyond government service, Lisanti founded Transition Maker, LLC, a consulting firm.

2014 Maryland State Delegate candidacy Lisanti entered the race for Delegate in district 34A after much speculation that she might run for the seat left open when Delegate Mary-Dulany James decided to run for Maryland State Senate. Glass and Lisanti finished 1 and 2, thus gaining election. Rural Maryland Council, and the Veteran's Caucus.

2022 Maryland State Senate candidacy On January 28, 2022, Lisanti entered the race for State Senate in District 34, seeking to succeed Senator Robert G. Cassilly, who announced his candidacy for Harford County executive in April 2021. Lisanti lost the Democratic primary to Mary-Dulany James.

Censure On February 26, 2019, The Washington Post reported that Lisanti referred to a legislative district in Prince George's County, Maryland as a "n----- district" [thus in the original] in conversation with another Democratic legislator. She was removed as the chair of a subcommittee. On March 2, 2019, the Harford County Democratic Central Committee called for Lisanti to resign for using the racial slur.

Election results 2006 Primary Election Results Harford County Council – District F Voters to choose one: Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary Ann Lisanti, Dem. 1,898 64.6% Won Gunther Hirsch, Dem. 1,057 35.8% Lost

2006 General Election Results Harford County Council – District F Voters to choose one: Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary Ann Lisnati, Dem. 7,433 60.3% Won John P. Correri, Jr., Rep. 4,877 39.6% Lost Write-Ins 13 0.1% Lost

2010 General Election Results Harford County Council – District F Voters to choose one: Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary Ann Lisanti, Dem. 7,167 51.8% Won Sheryl Davis Kohl, Rep. 6,646 48.1% Lost Write-Ins 16 0.1% Lost

2014 Primary Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A – Harford County Voters to choose two: Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary Ann Lisanti, Dem. 2,473 29.0% Won Marla Posey-Moss, Dem. 1,895 22.2% Won Pat Murray., Dem. 1,784 20.9% Lost Steve Johnson, Dem. 1,574 18.4% Lost Maria Terry, Dem. 812 9.5% Lost

2014 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A – Harford County

Voters to choose two: Name Votes Percent Outcome Glen Glass, Rep. 10,779 28.41% Won Mary Ann Lisanti, Dem. 10,015 26.40% Won Mike Blizzard, Rep. 9,041 23.83% Lost Marla Posey-Moss, Dem. 8,057 21.24% Lost Write-Ins 49 0.13% Lost

2018 Primary Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A – Harford County

Voters to choose two: Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary Ann Lisanti, Dem 3,794 46.8% Won Steve Johnson, Dem 2,190 27.0% Won Sarahia Benn, Dem 2,123 26.2% Lost

2022 Primary Election Results Maryland Senate – District 34

Voters to choose one: Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary-Dulany James, Dem 6,598 65.65% Won Mary Ann Lisanti, Dem 3,453 34.35% Lost