ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Malcolm L. Funn, one of two Democratic members of the State Board of Elections, died unexpectedly on July 26 of surgery complications at age 77.
During his lifetime, Funn has served on the Calvert County Planning Commission and the county liquor board, as first vice president of the Calvert County NAACP, and on several other local boards.
One of the state organizations Funn was involved with was Strong Schools Maryland.
“Malcolm Funn brought so much light into the organizing spaces that he occupied,” the organization said on its Twitter. “The entire Strong Schools Maryland collective mourns his passing. Malcolm was a voice of leadership in the manifold organizations where he advocated for justice, including the Board of Elections.”
When he was a small child, Funn’s family moved to Calvert County when his father became principal at William Sampson Brooks High School. After graduating from Brooks, Funn attended Virginia State University and later Bowie State College.
In the early 1970s, he graduated from Columbus School of Law at Catholic University and later went to work for the federal government. He married his wife, Annette during the 1960s.
During the 1990s, the Funns moved to Calvert County, residing in Chesapeake Beach. Both became very active in the community. Annette Funn died in July 2016.
Malcolm Funn served on Calvert’s planning commission and liquor board. In 2017, Gov. Hogan appointed him to the State Commission of African-American History and Culture. Funn was recently appointed to the Calvert Health System’s board of directors. Funn is survived by a son and a brother.
The Calvert NAACP President, Michael Kent, also issued a statement on his death:
Funn’s unexpected death comes at a critical time for the state elections board since the board of elections is trying to certify the results from the July 19 primaries and set rules and procedures for the upcoming general election.
Along with certifying results and preparing for the upcoming election, his death leaves the board in a deeper imbalance. State and local elections boards by law have three members from the governor’s political party and two from other parties, so the state board currently has three Republicans and one Democrat.
Every vote must pass with a supermajority; with only four members, every vote must now be unanimous. Currently, it is unclear if Gov. Hogan can appoint a replacement.
State law prevents a term-limited governor from making appointments to key agencies after the final primary election of his term, state officials said.
The elections board’s status as an independent agency complicates the matter, state officials have said.
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Rest in heaven Malcom. My sincere condolences to the family.
Malcolm and his wife Annette were friends of mine here at Asbury Solomons Retirement Community. They were very caring and involved with our community. This is a very much a loss. Kelby my love and hugs go to you. I’m here to help you in any way. Barbara O’Neal
On behalf of the Caucus of African American Leaders, I want to extend our condolences to the family and friends of Malcolm L. Funn. His commitment to social justice and civil rights has earned him a place that God reserved for his faithful servants.