# Chao Wu (politician)

Chao Wu (born 1976 or 1977) is an American politician. He is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for District 9A in Howard and Montgomery counties. He was previously a member of the Howard County Board of Education from 2018 to 2022.

## Background

Wu attended the University of Science and Technology of China, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 2001; the National University of Singapore, where he earned a master degree in electrical and computer engineering in 2003; and the University of Maryland, College Park, receiving a Doctor of Philosophy degree in electrical and computer engineering in 2009. While at the University of Maryland, Wu served as president of the local Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) chapter. As CSSA president, Wu campaigned against Tibetan independence and perceived biased content in The Diamondback towards the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
After graduating, Wu worked in the private and public sectors, specializing in data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity and enterprise risk management. Wu represented the River Hill community of Columbia, Maryland on the Columbia Association's board of directors until 2018, and served as a board member of the River Hill Village Association from 2012 to 2018. During this time, Wu was instrumental in initiating Columbia's sister city agreement with Liyang.
In November 2017 Wu filed to run for the Howard County Board of Education. He won the nonpartisan primary election on June 27, 2018, and later won election to the board on November 6. In December 2020, Wu was elected as the Board of Education's chairperson, becoming the first Asian American to lead the board. In October 2021, Wu was named to serve as a board member to the Maryland Association of Boards of Education.
In February 2022 Wu filed to run for the Maryland House of Delegates. He won the Democratic primary on July 19, 2022, and later won the general election on November 8, narrowly defeating incumbent state delegate Trent Kittleman with Natalie Ziegler.

## In the legislature

Wu was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 11, 2023. He is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

## Political positions

In June 2021 Wu voted against ending the school system's school resource officer program. The school board voted 5–3 to continue the program.

## Personal life

Wu lives in Clarksville, Maryland. He is a father of two children.

## Electoral history

Howard County Board of Education primary election, 2018 :
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Vicky Cutroneo | Vicky Cutroneo | 20,602 | 14.1 |
| Bob Glascock | Bob Glascock | 17,503 | 12.0 |
| Robert Wayne Miller | Robert Wayne Miller | 16,469 | 11.3 |
| Chao Wu | Chao Wu | 15,600 | 10.7 |
| Jen Mallo | Jen Mallo | 13,545 | 9.3 |
| Sabina Taj | Sabina Taj | 13,326 | 9.2 |
| Anita Pandey | Anita Pandey | 10,041 | 6.9 |
| Danny Mackey | Danny Mackey | 9,980 | 6.9 |
| Carleen Pena | Carleen Pena | 8,301 | 5.7 |
| Saif Rehman | Saif Rehman | 7,582 | 5.2 |
| Mavourene Robinson | Mavourene Robinson | 5,828 | 4.0 |
| Timothy Hodgson Hamilton | Timothy Hodgson Hamilton | 3,691 | 2.5 |
| Christopher Michael Hilfiger | Christopher Michael Hilfiger | 3,171 | 2.2 |
Howard County Board of Education general election, 2018 :
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Vicky Cutroneo | Vicky Cutroneo | 58,426 | 15.1 |
| Chao Wu | Chao Wu | 54,254 | 14.1 |
| Jen Mallo | Jen Mallo | 53,766 | 13.9 |
| Sabina Taj | Sabina Taj | 51,842 | 13.4 |
| Bob Glascock | Bob Glascock | 46,929 | 12.2 |
| Robert Wayne Miller | Robert Wayne Miller | 43,847 | 11.4 |
| Anita Pandey | Anita Pandey | 38,109 | 9.9 |
| Danny Mackey | Danny Mackey | 36,923 | 9.6 |
| Write-in | Write-in | 1,685 | 0.4 |
Maryland House of Delegates District 9A Democratic primary election, 2022 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Natalie Ziegler | 5,308 | 41.8 |
| Democratic | Chao Wu | 3,942 | 31.0 |
| Democratic | Steven M. Bolen | 3,448 | 27.2 |
Maryland House of Delegates District 9A general election, 2022 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Natalie Ziegler | 17,767 | 26.68 |
| Democratic | Chao Wu | 17,486 | 26.43 |
| Republican | Trent Kittleman (incumbent) | 17,373 | 26.26 |
| Republican | Jianning Zeng | 13,609 | 20.56 |
| Write-in | Write-in | 44 | 0.07 |