When Ed Packard retired from the Alabama Secretary of State’s office in December 2021, it closed the books on almost 25 years of experience in state elections.

Ed Packard has died at age 57. Arrangements will be announced.

Packard was the first person in the United States to earn a Master of Public Administration degree with a specialty in election administration in 1996 through Auburn University.

Packard’s career in election administration began at Auburn (1992-1996) where he was lead coordinator for implementing election programs through contracts with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office.

From Spring 1996 to Spring 1997, he worked for the State Board of Elections in Raleigh, North Carolina as an education and training specialist.

Then it was back to Alabama. In 1997, he was appointed Administrator of Elections with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office. In 2007, he was appointed Supervisor of Voter Registration and oversaw statewide voter registration programs.

Packard was a candidate in the 2006 Alabama Democratic primary for the office Secretary of State. He was defeated by incumbent Secretary of State Nancy Worley, who then lost the general election to State Auditor Beth Chapman.

In March 2013, Packard was named State Election Director in the office of the Alabama Secretary of State. In 2017, Packard was moved to the elections division of the Secretary and finished out his career there in December 2021.

In December 2021, Packard announced his candidacy for Alabama Secretary of State in the May 2022 Republican Primary. He was unsuccessful.

Former Secretary of State Beth Chapman made this statement:

“Ed Packard was a hard-working state employee for two and a half decades. He was both a student and teacher of elections and voter registration issues. He gave the kind of customer service in that office that is so rare today in the business world, returning every call and getting to the bottom of every issue.”

As the saying goes: If Ed Packard doesn’t know the answer, you’re not asking the right question.

Jim Zig Zeigler is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. His beat includes the positive and colorful about Alabama – her people, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is former State Auditor and Public Service Commissioner. You can reach him at [email protected]