Melvin L. Stukes is an American politician who represents the 44th legislative district in the Maryland House of Delegates

Maryland House of Delegates

The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...

. Stukes is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland

Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland

The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland is an American political organization composed of African Americans elected to the Maryland General Assembly...

. Prior to winning a seat in the Maryland General Assembly, Stukes served 13 years in the Baltimore City Council

Baltimore City Council

The Baltimore City Council is the legislative branch that governs the City of Baltimore and its nearly 700,000 citizens. Baltimore has fourteen single-member City Council districts and representatives are elected for a four-year term. To qualify for a position on the Council, a person must be...

.

Background

Delegate Stukes was born in Baltimore, his father was in the Navy

Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...

 and the family moved several times during his childhood. He graduated from Scott's Branch High school in Summerton, South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

. After high school he enlisted in U.S. Air Force, served three years until 1968 and later entered Morgan State University,where he earned a B.S. in business administration in 1975. During his stint on the Baltimore City Council, Stukes made national news by introducing a resolution that would ban the word nigger

Nigger

Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...

. Stukes said he was prompted to introduce the measure, not because of racism, but because it was being used widely by members of his own race. Stukes said that by ignoring the use of the word, officials give the impression, especially to young people, that it's acceptable.

Democratic primary election results, 2010

• 2010 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – 44th District

Voters to choose three: (only the top 6 finishers are shown)

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Keith E. Haynes Keith E. Haynes Keith E. Haynes is an American politician and lawyer. Haynes was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. He represents the 44th Legislative District in the Maryland House of Delegates and is the current Vice-Chair of the Baltimore City Delegation. As a...	4859	25.9%	Won
Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. Keiffer Jackson Mitchell, Jr. is an American politician from Baltimore, Maryland who serves in the Maryland House of Delegates. He was a member of the Baltimore City Council and a candidate in the 2007 mayoral election.-Background:...	4481	13.9%	Won
Melvin L. Stukes Melvin L. Stukes Melvin L. Stukes is an American politician who represents the 44th legislative district in the Maryland House of Delegates. Stukes is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland...	3321	17.7%	Won
Ruth Kirk	2860	15.2%	Lost
Chris Blake	973	5.1%	Lost
Gary T. English	907	4.8%	Lost

General election results, 2006

• 2006 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – 44th District

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Melvin L. Stukes Dem.	13,173	34.0%	Won
Ruth M. Kirk Ruth M. Kirk Ruth M. Kirk was an American politician who represented the 44th legislative district in the Maryland House of Delegates. She was elected 7 times and served a total of 28 years representing west and west central Baltimore.... , Dem.	12,894	33.3%	Won
Keith E. Haynes Keith E. Haynes Keith E. Haynes is an American politician and lawyer. Haynes was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. He represents the 44th Legislative District in the Maryland House of Delegates and is the current Vice-Chair of the Baltimore City Delegation. As a... , Dem.	12,565	32.4%	Won
Other Write-Ins	129	0.3%

Legislative notes

• voted for the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 (HB359)http://mlis.state.md.us/2007rs/billfile/HB0359.htm
• voted in favor of increasing the sales tax by 20% - Tax Reform Act of 2007(HB2)http://www.mdchamber.org/docs/ss_hb2.pdf
• voted in favor of prohibiting ground rents in 2007(SB106)http://mlis.state.md.us/2007RS/votes/house/0250.htm
• voted in favor of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants in 2007 (HB6)http://mlis.state.md.us/2007RS/votes/house/0690.htm
• sponsored House Bill 30 in 2007, allowing the state to confiscate unused portions of gift certificates after 4 years.House Bill 30