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House of Delegates Member · Legislative District 9B · Maryland · 2026 Primary
Members of the Maryland House of Delegates represent their local districts in the state legislature by proposing, debating, and voting on laws that impact public education, healthcare, and transportation. They work alongside the state Senate to pass Maryland’s annual budget and determine how tax dollars are allocated to community services and infrastructure projects. This office is vital because delegates shape the statewide policies and spending priorities that directly influence the daily lives of all residents.
View all candidates in this raceAbdun Matin is a licensed mental health therapist who immigrated to the United States from Pakistan in 2013 and became a three-year resident of Howard County after previously living in Baltimore County. He worked in charity and community service for over a decade, serving as area managers for Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Relief and Helping Hand USA before working as a therapist. Matin joined the Democratic primary for District 9B State Delegate in Howard County, running against incumbent candidate Courtney Watson. His campaign is centered on supporting workers' rights, immigrant protection, divestment from human rights violations and environmental destruction, education reform, mental health care expansion, housing affordability, student loan tax relief, small business support, renewable energy initiatives, and protecting immigrant communities from deportation.
Sources: Campaign website
We want the voices of the people to be heard, and that's what the campaign is about.
I don't consider myself as a politician. I consider myself as a community worker, as a social worker.
As an immigrant, I really, truly understand what immigrants are going through, right now with ICE raids.
Source: vote4matin9b.org
Education
Advocating for competitive salary increases for teachers, safe and well-resourced schools, modern infrastructure, smaller class sizes, listening to educators and unions, supporting teacher mental health and work-life balance, and reviewing current training during school shootings.
“Competitive salary, allowing teachers to live more comfortably. Upgrading aging school buildings with modern technologies and infrastructure. Smaller class sizes allow students to receive more individualized care and attention.”
Healthcare
Expanding access to mental health care statewide; advocating for Medicare for All; creating early intervention programs for children who experienced traumatic events.
“Addressing youth and community mental health needs. Strengthening and stabilizing the mental health workforce. Expanding early intervention programs for children exposed to trauma and violence.”
Housing
Advocating for increased housing affordability by working to increase moderate-income housing units (MIHU); advocating to lower rental property yearly increase.
“Working with the Howard County Council and County Executive to increase the moderate-income housing units. Introducing legislation to set the rental property yearly increase to 2% instead of 3% or higher per year.”
Tax Policy
Supporting Marylanders with tax relief for paying student loans; advocating for no cuts in programs assisting Marylanders living below the poverty line and no general tax increase.
“Introducing a bill in the Maryland General Assembly for providing tax relief to anyone paying student loans, up to 10% every year of their state taxes. Adding scholarships for currently enrolled students in the middle class and below the poverty line.”
Immigration
Supporting legislation protecting all immigrant communities' rights to live and work safely without fear of deportation.
“Maryland has a responsibility to protect all immigrant communities from criminalization, exploitation, and deportation, and to ensure full access to education, healthcare, housing, and worker protections regardless of immigration status.”
Small Business
Supporting small business growth through streamlining business registration process and increasing funding for business education programs.
“Right now, it takes months for small businesses to get the appropriate licenses. We will work with house delegates to cut down on that time to support the development of small businesses.”
Environment
Supporting renewable energy efforts and legislation throughout Howard County and Maryland, including shifting from fossil fuel reliance to sustainable energy sources.
“Promote rooftop solar on government, commercial, and residential buildings through subsidies and net metering. Develop utility-scale solar parks and wind farms in high-potential zones.”
Government Ethics
Advocate for the reallocation of state-managed funds away from companies linked to human rights violations or environmental harm, directing those resources to school improvements and small businesses.
“Requiring state-managed funds to be moved from entities complicit in violation of human rights or environmental destruction and moving the funds to bolster the local economy.”
According to Al-Hikmah News coverage from February 2026, Matin's campaign kickoff event was held on January 18 at the Kiwanis Wallis recreation center. Saad Ijaz, a sophomore public policy major at UMD who worked with Matin at ICNA Relief, spoke in support of the candidate and said Matin brings values needed to make communities more morally aligned. Kareem Amin, chief of staff of State Delegate Sean A. Stinnett, also expressed his support for Matin at the kickoff event.
“Advocating for a competitive salary increase for teachers and safe, modern, and well-resourced schools, including supporting gun control laws.”
Source“Expanding access to mental health care statewide; advocating for Medicare for All; creating early intervention programs for children who experienced traumatic events.”
Source“Advocating for increased housing affordability by working to increase the amount of moderate-income housing units (MIHU); advocating to lower rental property yearly increase.”
Source“Supporting Marylanders with tax relief for paying student loans; advocating for no cuts in programs assisting Marylanders living below the poverty line and no general tax increase.”
Source“Supporting legislation protecting all immigrant communities' rights to live and work safely without fear of deportation.”
Source“Supporting small business growth through streamlining business registration process and increasing funding for business education programs.”
Source“Supporting renewable energy efforts and legislation throughout Howard County and Maryland, including shifting from fossil fuel reliance to sustainable energy sources.”
Source