Longtime Baltimore Elections Director Armstead Jones dies at 71

Armstead Jones, a longtime elections director in Baltimore City, died on Saturday. He was 71 years old.

The news came just hours after he announced his retirement on Friday. A member of the Baltimore City government confirmed his death with WJZ on Saturday evening.

"His contributions to the growth, knowledge and development of this staff and new board members will sustain many of us as we move forward in this progress," Scherod Barnes, President of the Baltimore City Board of Elections, said.

Jones started working in elections in 1995 as a board member. He became president of the Baltimore City Board of Elections in 2003 and later the director, according to The Baltimore Banner.

He managed the city's board of elections through many phases, like changing the election calendar and increasing mail-in voting during the pandemic, which was challenging for election leaders in the state.

"Armstead has been a fixture at the Baltimore City Board of Elections," Michael Summers, Chairman of the Maryland State Board of Elections, said in a statement after Jones announced his retirement.   

Recently, Jones took breaks from his job because of health issues, including being away during the preparation for the 2024 primary and being in the hospital during the 2022 gubernatorial election.

"Serving as Director of the Board of Elections in Baltimore for 18 years was an honor and a responsibility I never took lightly," Jones said in a final statement after announcing his retirement. "I'm deeply grateful to the people of this city for trusting me to protect their voice and help shape a more accessible, transparent, and fair democratic process."

Maryland leaders mourn Jones' passing

Maryland leaders shared tributes to Jones following news of his death.

"Armstead Jones, Sr. was an institution himself," Mayor Brandon Scott said. "He had just completed thirty years of service to the Board of Elections, nearly 18 of them as chair, overseeing countless fair and free elections. In recent years, as poll workers across our country were under attack, Mr. Jones stood cool, calm and collected on behalf of all Baltimoreans and our right to vote. The Board of Elections today is a credit to his work to recruit and train the very best—and his legacy will forever live on in Baltimore politics."

Representative Kweise Mfume took to X to acknowledge Jones's death as well: "Within hours of announcing his retirement, Baltimore Elections Director Armstead Jones died at the age of 71. He was an old school friend and real soldier who loved his job and cherished his City. Rest in peace AJ, with God's grace and power."