The finger foods were waiting, and everyone knew it.

The Baltimore City Board of Elections gave its new leader a Charm City welcome Thursday, delivering one of its most chaotic meetings in recent memory after one member stormed out of the boardroom.

Four of five members of the bipartisan board convened early Thursday to allow time for a public meet-and-greet with new director Clifford Tatum. Tatum, who replaced Armstead Jones, the city’s election director of almost two decades, came to Baltimore from the Houston area.

Seconds after the meeting began, Terrence Thrweatt Jr., the sole Republican member in attendance, asked whether the board would go into a closed session to discuss expectations for Tatum.

“Nuh-uh,” said Board President Scherod Barnes, shaking his head. “No.”

Thrweatt asked again. The response was the same. Thrweatt gathered his belongings.

“I’m not wasting my time,” he said as he walked out the door, reminding the group they needed at least one Republican present to meet. Others in attendance, including Tatum and Deputy Director Abigail Goldman, looked on stone-faced. After Thrweatt exited, heads turned toward Barnes.

“We can’t hold the meeting without a quorum,” he told the group.

Goldman suggested they call the board’s remaining Republican member, Maria Vismale, who was en route to the election board’s office. With Vismale patched in, the innocuous business of the board continued.

Goldman, who applied for the directorship but was not selected, nonetheless welcomed Tatum aboard. Preliminary plans were briefly discussed for early voting locations as were ballot drop boxes. The board is preparing for a primary election in spring 2026.

At some point, Vismale’s call dropped. When Barnes dialed her back, he was greeted by a different voice.

“We agreed we would have a management expectations meeting,” Thrweatt said loudly from Vismale’s phone.

“Are you speaking on behalf of — ?” Barnes started to ask before he was interrupted.

“We discussed it as a group. We already talked about this,” Thrweatt continued.

A reception for the new director was to be held in less than an hour, Barnes reminded Thrweatt. “This is not the day or the time to do that meeting,” he said.

Tatum and other staffers stared at the board table as the argument continued.

“We’re having the meet and greet today,” Barnes said. “We cannot have that discussion because of time.”

“This is the time,” Thrweatt countered.

“Are you going to give me respect?” Barnes shot back.

Thrweatt said he would not participate unless expectations for Tatum were discussed, and reminded the board they could not meet without a quorum.

“Have a blessed day, sir,” Barnes said, before disconnecting the phone.

As far as anyone knew, Vismale was still on the way, so board members paused the meeting and waited for her to arrive.

She didn’t.

Barnes ended the session without formally adjourning.

Moments later, the board members filed into the election board’s lobby, where cupcakes, crudités and fried chicken awaited. Thrweatt and Vismale were there, chatting happily with visitors. So were the three Democratic members of the board.

Attendees hushed as the new director addressed the group.

“I’m excited to be here,” Tatum said. “I look forward to meeting each and every one of you. Everyone has a story to tell.”