County Council in Councilmanic District 1, Maryland
2026 Primary Election
- Kevin Chin — County Council in Councilmanic District 1, Maryland
Kevin Chin is a Democratic candidate for Howard County Council in District 1. An Emergency Room Physician, Chin is focused on key issues including affordable housing, public safety, and supporting schools. He has been actively involved in the community, serving on the Howard County Public School System's Operating Budget Review Committee and as a Steering Committee member of the Howard County Housing Affordability Coalition. His campaign emphasizes his experience as a healthcare professional and his commitment to addressing the needs of his community. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he lives in Ellicott City with his wife and son.
- James David Handley — County Council in Councilmanic District 1, Maryland
James David Handley is a Democratic candidate for Howard County Council in Councilmanic District 1. A husband and father of three residing in Ellicott City, he is an Assistant Attorney General for Maryland, focusing on consumer protection and gun violence prevention. Handley is also an Army veteran who served as a cavalry officer with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. His campaign platform prioritizes fully funding public schools, making the county more affordable for working families, and protecting green spaces from overdevelopment. He is running as a publicly funded candidate.
- Jean Xu — County Council in Councilmanic District 1, Maryland
Public information points to Jean Xu as a Democratic candidate for County Council in Howard County's Councilmanic District 1, not Montgomery County. An engineer and a member of the Howard County Board of Appeals, she is running in a contested Democratic primary. Xu is also noted as the president of the Chinese American Parent Association of Howard County. Her campaign for the 2026 election is utilizing Howard County's public financing program. There is no public record of a Jean Xu running for Montgomery County Council.