Montgomery County Council member Gabe Albornoz is stepping down from his at-large seat on Dec. 1.
In a statement released Thursday morning, Albornoz said he remains “deeply committed to our community,” but didn’t say why he’s stepping down from the 11-member council before his term ends in December 2026. In September, Albornoz said he would not be running for reelection.
“I am proud of the work we have accomplished during my time at the Council — advancing meaningful policies and initiatives, expanding opportunities, and strengthening the systems that support the health and well-being of all residents across Montgomery County,” Albornoz said in the statement.
When asked for further comment, Albornoz told WTOP he’s is not commenting on his decision until Monday.
“It was just time to look for another opportunity to be able to continue to serve our community — but from a different perch,” Albornoz told WTOP.
Council member Will Jawando said Thursday after a joint Health and Human Services Committee and Education Committee meeting that Albornoz’s time on the council has focused on making lives better for people.
“We love you,” Jawando said and the room broke into applause.
In response, Albornoz said, “Thank you very much, that was very thoughtful.”
Albornoz chairs the council’s Health and Human Services Committee and serves on the Education Committee, of which Jawando is the chair.
Albornoz has not said exactly what he plans to do next, but told his fellow council members, “In the coming days, I’ll be able to announce what’s next up for me.”
Council President Kate Stewart, during a news conference, said Albornoz’s “civility, compassion, enthusiasm and integrity will be greatly missed at the council and I will say, personally, I will miss his friendship and guidance.”
Albornoz reflects on his time in council
Albornoz, 49, is a lifelong Montgomery County resident. The Democrat led the county’s Department of Recreation for 12 years before running for county council.
He said one of the biggest challenges during his time happened during the pandemic.
“Being chair of the Health and Human Services Committee in the midst of COVID was very, very challenging,” Albornoz told WTOP. “What I’m most proud of is that we’ve been able to really increase our overall social safety nets.”
He added that he has been focused on policies tied to health and wellness, and cited the county’s “extraordinary professionals,” who could be consulted on some of the most technical and challenging topics the county faced.
“I’ve most enjoyed the connections to constituents. And I’ve learned so much about our county that I didn’t know before I started this job. And that’s honestly been the best part,” Albornoz said.
How Montgomery County will fill Albornoz’s seat
The at-large seat will be filled through an appointment process.
A majority of the council members will need to appoint a Democrat to fill Albornoz’s seat within 30 days of his vacancy.
The appointee will serve for less than a year, until Dec. 1, 2026.
“We are seeking a Montgomery County resident to serve on the Council who is knowledgeable about budgetary, public policy, and legislative work,” County President Kate Stewart said in a statement Thursday. “Additionally, we are seeking individuals who do not intend to run for office in 2026 to eliminate any potential unfair advantage in the upcoming election cycle.”
That means the appointee shouldn’t be someone who plans to run for office in the 2026 primary or general elections.
Asked what would happen if the person selected to fill the vacant seat then decided they did want to run in the upcoming elections after serving in the caretaker role, Stewart said, “We would hope that anyone who would put themselves forward” and is selected for the council seat would abide by the promise not to run for office in 2026.
To qualify, the temporary council member must live in Montgomery County and be registered to vote as a Democrat.
The council plans to pick an appointee based off their professional experience, public service and knowledge of the community, according to a news release.
The initial interviews with candidates will be done during a closed session, but secondary interviews will be open the public and held during the council’s meeting on Dec. 2.
The final vote on the appointment is scheduled for Dec. 9.
Anyone interested in temporarily filling the seat needs to apply by Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. by e-mailing council.clerk@montgomerycountymd.gov. For more information about what to include in an application, head to the county’s website.
WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer and Abigail Constantino contributed to this report.
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