Howard County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

Katie Fry Hester is a Maryland state senator serving her first term since 2019, per the campaign site. She spent 20 years in international development, creating public-private strategies for sustainable development and advising companies on stakeholder engagement, per the campaign site. She chairs the Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, IT, and Biotechnology, per the campaign site.

Ben Hightower is a Navy hospital corpsman with 20 years of military service, including six combat deployments, per the campaign site. He also served in a policy role at the Pentagon before retiring and settling in Maryland, per the campaign site.

Lam is a physician specializing in public health and has represented Senate District 12, covering parts of Howard and Anne Arundel counties, in the Maryland General Assembly for about nine years, per the campaign site.

Guzzone has served Howard County in elected office for more than 20 years, beginning on the county council in 1998, and chairs the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, per the campaign site. He previously worked as state director of the Sierra Club and served on the Chesapeake Bay Trust board, per the campaign site.

Chao Wu is a data scientist and immigrant who served on the Howard County Board of Education from 2018 to 2022, including as board chair, per the campaign site. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland College Park, a master's degree from the National University of Singapore, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Science and Technology of China, per the campaign site. He was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 9A in November 2022, per the campaign site.

Ziegler is a small business owner and farmer who co-founded a jewelry design firm and now operates a family farm growing feed grains and rye, per the campaign site. She holds degrees from Oberlin College and Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies and previously worked as a segment producer at CNN, per the campaign site.

Fitzgerald Mofor is the Republican candidate for Maryland House of Delegates District 9A on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Born in Gaithersburg, Maryland; played linebacker at the University of Alabama at Birmingham on a football scholarship and earned All-Conference honors, per candidate campaign site. Earned a Master of Law degree from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, per candidate campaign site. Founded a construction firm, worked in his father's law practice, and served on the Montgomery County Board of Education and as an at-large member of the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee, per candidate campaign site.

Watson has served Howard County for 20 years in progressively responsible roles, including the Board of Education, the County Council, and, since 2018, the Maryland House of Delegates, per the campaign site.

Feldmark has served Howard County in public service roles for nearly 30 years and is a State Delegate representing Columbia, Elkridge and Ellicott City, per the campaign site.

Terri Hill, M.D., is a surgeon who has served as a Maryland state delegate representing District 12A since 2015, per the campaign site. She serves on the Health and Government Operations Committee, per the campaign site.

Amy Brooks is the Democratic candidate for Maryland House of Delegates District 13 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Teacher with more than 20 years of experience who runs a nonprofit organization and lives, works and raises her children in Howard County, per candidate campaign site. Holds a bachelor's degree in English and African American studies from Towson University and a master's degree in education from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, per The Baltimore Banner.

Guzzone has lived in Howard County for more than 30 years and has worked with the Arc of Howard County, the Howard County Commission for Women and a local nonprofit, per the campaign site. She comes from a family of educators and raised her three children in the district, per the campaign site.

Fisher has spent his career as a speaker on leadership, personal growth and influence, working with organizations and at conferences, per the campaign site.