Howard County State's Attorney
Howard County, Maryland
My vote power
Below average
Election date
November 3, 2026 · General election
How do we calculate my vote power?
What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.
Representation: Above average · 63 out of 100
This district is a good deal smaller than its state, so each vote here carries more weight than a vote in a statewide race. About 336,328 people live here.
Show the representation math
score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(6,206,011 ÷ 336,328) ÷ ln(50,000) = 63.47, measured against a statewide vote in MD (grades: 66+ high, 55+ above average, 33+ average, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)
Decisiveness: None · only 1 candidate
One candidate is running unopposed, so votes can't change the outcome.
Above average representation + an uncontested race → My vote power: Below average.
About this office
- Deciding which crimes get charged and which are dropped
- Making plea deals and asking for sentences
- Working with police on criminal cases
Affects: Anti-Corruption, Public Safety and Crime Control, Gun Control,
Candidates
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Rich Gibson is Howard County's State's Attorney and has held the office since 2019. He previously served as an assistant state's attorney in Baltimore City and Prince George's County.
Sources: elections.maryland.gov · howardcountymd.gov