Rob Savidge (D)  |  Ward 7

Challenger to candidate Alexus N. Viegas (D) for seat being vacated by retiring incumbent Ian Pfeiffer (D)

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Rob Savidge has lived in Annapolis for over 16 years with his wife, Becca, and son, Whit. He fell in love with the Chesapeake Bay while earning his degree in environmental studies (minor in business management) at Washington College. An environmental scientist, he started his career with the Chesapeake Research Consortium, supporting its Chesapeake Bay program. He then worked in private consulting as an ecological restoration scientist before moving into local government with the City of Annapolis. He served as sustainability coordinator and environmental compliance inspector, reviewing development projects and authoring the city’s climate action plan. He now works for Anne Arundel County as an engineer/project manager for stormwater management projects.

Savidge “blew the whistle” on the city when he saw that developers were being allowed to clear protected forests. After nearly three years of trying to resolve these issues internally, he challenged what he saw as the city’s attempts to silence staff and avoid transparency. The dispute ended up in the local newspaper. Subsequently, he worked with the current City Council to develop and support legislation that resulted in the passing of one of the strongest forest conservation laws in the state.

In addition to his leadership on environmental issues, Savidge has been a long-time advocate for social justice, testifying in 2003 in support of providing health benefits to same-sex partners of city employees. He has been heavily involved with state politics, organizing against Maryland’s death penalty, securing the right to vote to former felons, and supporting women’s access to reproductive services. Savidge supports local ordinances to address the city’s overcrowded schools and to stop discrimination against our foreign-born residents.