| Elizabeth Bobo | |
| Birth Date: | December 21, 1943 |
| Birth Place: | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Residence: | Columbia, Maryland, U.S. |
| State Delegate: | Maryland |
| District: | 12B |
| Term Start: | January 11, 1995 |
| Term End: | January 14, 2015 |
| Predecessor: | Kenneth H. Masters Louis P. Morsberger[1] |
| Successor: | Eric Ebersole, Terri Hill, Clarence Lam |
| Office2: | 5th County Executive of Howard County, Maryland |
| Term Start2: | December 1, 1986 |
| Term End2: | December 3, 1990 |
| Predecessor2: | William E. Eckel |
| Successor2: | Charles I. Ecker |
| Constituency: | Howard County |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Education: | Seton High School University of Maryland University College (BA) University of Maryland School of Law (JD) |
| Occupation: | Attorney |
| Spouse: | Lloyd G. Knowles |
| Office3: | Member, Howard County Council |
| Term Start3: | October 1977 |
| Term End3: | December 1, 1986 |
Elizabeth Bobo (born December 21, 1943) is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. She served as Howard County Executive and in the Maryland House of Delegates. Bobo was the first and only female Howard County Executive, serving from 1986 to 1990.
Bobo was born in Baltimore on December 21, 1943. She graduated from Seton High School in Baltimore before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from the University of Maryland University College and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. Bobo was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1992 and practiced as an attorney before her election to the House of Delegates.[2]
Bobo served one term as Howard County Executive from 1986 to 1990. She was Howard County's first and only female executive.[3] In 1987, Bobo partnered with developer Kingdon Gould III to form a business outreach program.[4] Charles I. Ecker defeated Bobo's bid for reelection as county executive in 1990. In 1993, Bobo married former planning board member and councilperson Lloyd G. Knowles.
In 1994, Bobo was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. She served four terms there, representing District 12B in Howard County.[5]
As a member of the House of Delegates, Bobo voted in favor of increasing the sales tax whilst simultaneously reducing income tax rates for some income brackets in the Tax Reform Act of 2007 (HB2).[6] She voted in favor of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants in 2007 (HB6).[7] She served on the Environmental Matters Committee, and was noted for distinguishing herself as an advocate for protection of the natural environment.[3]
During the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, Bobo supported the candidacy of Barack Obama.[8] She served as one of the state's ten electors pledged to Obama in the general election, and cast her vote for him along with the other nine on December 15.[9] [10]
In 2012, Bobo announced her decision not to seek reelection in 2014.[3]