| Elections in the District of Columbia |
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The 2024 Council of the District of Columbia election took on November 5, 2024, to elect members to six seats on the city council. The primary took place on June 4, 2024.
Background
Muriel Bowser won election to a third term in the 2022 election becoming the first mayor to win a third term in the city's history.[1] The District of Columbia Home Rule Act states that "not more than two of the at-large members shall be nominated by the same political party" which results in the Democratic Party being unable to run in all at-large districts.[2] David Catania, a member of the city council from 1997 to 2015, was the last member of the Republican Party elected to the council, but changed his political affiliation to independent in 2004.
This will be the first election that will allow for non-citizens to vote for DC council members after a law enacted in early 2023.[3][4] While non-citizens are explicitly forbidden from participating in federal elections such as for U.S. President and the U.S. House of Representatives, some municipalities allow them to vote in local elections.[5] As of April 30, 2024, only 372 non-citizens were registered to vote, representing less than 0.1% of all registered voters in the District.[6]
Summary
| Position | Incumbent | Certified candidates[7][8][9] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Party | First elected |
Status | ||
| At-Large | Christina Henderson | Independent | 2020 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Robert White | Democratic | 2016 | Incumbent re-elected. | ||
| Ward 2 | Brooke Pinto | Democratic | 2020 | Incumbent re-elected. | |
| Ward 4 | Janeese Lewis George | Democratic | 2020 | Incumbent running. | |
| Ward 7 | Vincent C. Gray | Democratic | 2016 | Incumbent retiring. New councilor elected. Democratic hold. |
|
| Ward 8 | Trayon White | Democratic | 2016 | Incumbent running. |
|
At-large district
Democratic nominee and incumbent Robert White and Independent and former staffer to U.S. Senate and city council staffer Christina Henderson advanced in the general election over dozens of other candidates. Now both incumbents, the two are running for reelection.[10]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Robert White, incumbent councilor[11]
Eliminated in primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert White | 54,636 | 81.50 | |
| Democratic | Rodney Red Grant | 11,767 | 17.55 | |
| Write-in | 639 | 0.95 | ||
| Total votes | 67,042 | 100.0 | ||
Statehood Green primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC Statehood Green | Darryl Moch | 319 | 80.35 | |
| Write-in | 78 | 19.65 | ||
| Total votes | 397 | 100.0 | ||
Independents
Candidates
Declared
- Christina Henderson, incumbent councilor[14]
- Patricia Eguino, ANC Commissioner for 6C06 and scientist[15]
- Kevin Rapp, ANC Commissioner from 5E05 and businessman[16]
Ward 2
Incumbent Brooke Pinto won election in a June 2020 special contest, and subsequently in that year's general election to fill the seat of Jack Evans, who resigned amid a conflict of interest scandal.[17]
Pinto, a 28-year old lawyer, came under scrutiny during the election season after finance reports showed her father, a venture capitalist from Connecticut, donated large sums of money to her campaign bank account. In addition, she did not participate in the city's Fair Elections program which enabled her to partially self-fund her campaign. Pinto had the most out-of-state donors out of any candidate in the race.[18] Regardless, Pinto won the election and became the council's youngest member in its history. She announced her re-election bid in June.[19]
Pinto chairs the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. [20]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Brooke Pinto, incumbent councilor[21]
Declined
- Jack Evans, former Ward 2 councilor[22][23]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brooke Pinto | 5,845 | 92.72 | |
| Write-in | 459 | 7.28 | ||
| Total votes | 6,304 | 100.0 | ||
Ward 4
Janeese Lewis George, an attorney who had worked for then-Attorney General Karl Racine and the District of Columbia State Board of Education, won in the Democratic primary over moderate incumbent Brandon Todd in what was considered a major upset.[24] A self-described Democratic socialist, George has drawn criticism for her support to defund the Metropolitan Police Department, the city's law enforcement division.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Janeese Lewis George, incumbent councilor[25]
- Paul Johnson, former ANC Commissioner from 4C07[26]
- Lisa Gore, ANC Commissioner from 4G01 and candidate for At-Large in 2022[27]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Janeese Lewis George | 8,085 | 66.19 | |
| Democratic | Lisa Gore | 3,431 | 28.09 | |
| Democratic | Paul Johnson | 653 | 5.35 | |
| Write-in | 45 | 0.37 | ||
| Total votes | 12,214 | 100.0 | ||
Ward 7
Incumbent Vince Gray has long been a fixture of local politics, serving respectively as the city's mayor, council chair, and as Ward 7's councilor on separated terms. Gray only attends council meetings through video calls. Some of his constituents have expressed their concern and wish for Gray to step away gracefully from the political scene. In December 2023, Gray announced he would be stepping aside from council activities once his term concluded in January 2025.[28]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Ebony Payne, ANC Commissioner from 7D05[29]
- Eboni-Rose Thompson, President of the District of Columbia State Board of Education[30]
- Villareal "VJ" Johnson II, former ANC Commissioner and city council aide[31]
- Kelvin Brown, Chair of ANC 7B, executive at Fannie Mae, and U.S. Army veteran[32]
- Nate Fleming, former Shadow congressperson, staffer for Councilor Trayon White, and candidate for the At-large council seat in 2022[33]
- Roscoe Grant Jr., former ANC Commissioner and union president[34]
- Ebbon Allen, former ANC Commissioner for 7E03[35]
- Veda Rasheed, former ANC Commissioner for 7E01 and attorney[36]
- Denise Reed, former chief of staff to former councilor Kevin P. Chavous[37]
- Wendell Felder, Chair of ANC7D and President of the Ward 7 Democrats[38]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Wendell Felder | 2,211 | 22.90 | |
| Democratic | Ebony Payne | 1,938 | 20.07 | |
| Democratic | Eboni-Rose Thompson | 1,869 | 19.36 | |
| Democratic | Veda Rasheed | 979 | 10.14 | |
| Democratic | Kelvin Brown | 966 | 10.01 | |
| Democratic | Nate Fleming | 842 | 8.72 | |
| Democratic | Roscoe Grant Jr. | 236 | 2.44 | |
| Democratic | Denise Reed | 211 | 2.19 | |
| Democratic | Vallareal VJ Johnson II | 208 | 2.15 | |
| Democratic | Ebbon A. Allen | 163 | 1.69 | |
| Write-in | 32 | 0.33 | ||
| Total votes | 9,655 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
No Republican candidate made the primary ballot for Ward 7. Noah Montgomery filed as a write-in candidate and won the nomination with a single vote.[39]
Ward 8
Incumbent Trayon White charted a campaign for mayor in 2022, though finished third in the primary with just about 9% of the primary vote. White even lost his own constituency, Ward 8, to incumbent Muriel Bowser.[40]
White announced his reelection bid during a radio interview with WAMU in September 2023. He won his primary in June 2024, but was arrested on federal bribery charges in August.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Trayon White, incumbent councilor[41]
- Markus Batchelor, former vice president of the District of Columbia State Board of Education[42]
- Salim Adofo, Chair of ANC 8C[43]
- Rahman Branch, former executive director of the D.C. Office on African American Affairs and principal of Ballou High School[44]
- Kevin Cannaday, program development director at the Urban Institute[45]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Trayon White | 3,115 | 52.98 | |
| Democratic | Salim Adofo | 1,600 | 27.21 | |
| Democratic | Rahman Branch | 1,129 | 19.20 | |
| Write-in | 36 | 0.61 | ||
| Total votes | 5,880 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Nate Derenge | 98 | 80.99 | |
| Write-in | 23 | 19.01 | ||
| Total votes | 121 | 100.0 | ||
Notes
References
- ^ Kagubare, Ines (November 8, 2022). "DC Mayor Bowser clinches reelection". The Hill. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Why Are Two Of The D.C. Council's At-Large Seats Off Limits For Democrats?". WAMU. November 5, 2018. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ Hockaday, Natalie C.; Block, Eliana (October 20, 2022). "DC Council passes non-citizens voting bill". WUSA9. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ Hatting, Abigail (April 26, 2023). "Non-citizens will be able to vote in DC starting next year". The Eagle. American University.
- ^ "Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Lefrak, Mikaela (May 4, 2024). "Some cities allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. Their turnout is quite low". NPR.
- ^ "Primary Election 2024 - Election Night Unofficial Results". DC BOE. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "Fair Elections Candidates Payment and Information". DC Office of Campaign Finance. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "List of Candidates". DC BOE. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ Vitka, Will (November 4, 2020). "Henderson wins at-large DC Council seat; magic mushrooms referendum passes". WTOP. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Mr. Robert Clyde White Jr. / Re-Elect Robert White 2024". www.fairelections.ocf.dc.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Comedian Rodney 'Red' Grant talks campaign for DC Council, Dark Matter Tour with Katt Williams". WEAA. October 27, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Primary Results". DCBOE. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ "Candidate Filings". www.fairelections.ocf.dc.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Carbone, Mariel (September 2, 2023). "Jan. 6 still vivid for neighborhood leader". DC News Now. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Mr. Kevin Rapp / Kevin Rapp for Council At-Large". www.fairelections.ocf.dc.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Weil, Julie (June 17, 2020). "Brooke Pinto wins Ward 2 D.C. Council race to serve the rest of this year". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Ryals, Mitch (June 11, 2020). "How Did Brooke Pinto Win the Ward 2 Council Primary?". Washington City Paper. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Jones, Christopher (June 15, 2023). "Ward 2 Council Member Brooke Pinto Announces 2024 Re-Election Bid". The Georgetowner. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Graf, Heather (January 5, 2023). "New chair of DC Council's public safety committee on gun violence, crime, & the year ahead". WJLA. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Ward 2 Council Member Brooke Pinto Announces 2024 Re-Election Bid | The Georgetowner". June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ Koma, Alex (June 20, 2023). "Will Anyone Challenge Brooke Pinto in Ward 2? Jack Evans Might Be the Only Taker". Washington City Paper. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Sands, Peggy (January 16, 2024). "Jack Evans Will Not Run for Ward 2 Seat". The Georgetowner. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
- ^ Weil, Julie (June 19, 2020). "Janeese Lewis George, the democratic socialist who beat one of the D.C. mayor's allies, says she'll be a pragmatic council member". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Koma, Alex (October 4, 2023). "Loose Lips Links, Oct. 4". Washington City Paper. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Candidate Filings". www.fairelections.ocf.dc.gov. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ "Lisa Gore for Ward 4". www.gorefordc.com/. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Koma, Alex (July 21, 2023). "'The Writing's On the Wall': Ward 7 Politicos Consider What Happens if Vince Gray Doesn't Run for Reelection". Washington City Paper. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ "Candidate Filings". www.fairelections.ocf.dc.gov/. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Douglas, Charlee (December 7, 2023). "Local Board of Education Chair Eboni-Rose Thompson enters race for Ward 7 council seat". AFRO American Newspapers. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ Writer, Tashi McQueen AFRO Political (March 2, 2024). "Meet Villareal Johnson, the D.C. Council candidate looking to amplify community voices in Ward 7". AFRO American Newspapers. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ "Kelvin Brown Announces Run for DC Council Seat". Heart&Soul. December 15, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "Mr. Nathan Leon Bennett Fleming / Nate Fleming for Ward 7". www.fairelections.ocf.dc.gov/. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "DC Council primary results: Felder wins crowded Ward 7 race, incumbents easily win Democratic nomination". WTOP News. June 6, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ Collins, Sam P. K. (November 22, 2023). "Five Public Servants Vie for Ward 7 D.C. Council Seat". The Washington Informer. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ Jones, Re'Jon (January 18, 2024). "Veda Rasheed announces council bid for Ward 7 in D.C." AFRO American Newspapers. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "George defeats two challengers in Ward 4 Democratic primary in race centered on public safety". ABC News. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ Collins, Sam P.K. (December 6, 2023). "Wendell Felder Announces Candidacy for Ward 7 D.C. Council Seat". The Washington Informer. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Primary Election Write-In Candidates Unofficial Results". DC BOE. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ Khalil, Ashraf (June 22, 2022). "Bowser wins Democratic primary for mayor in Washington, D.C." Associated Press. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "Mr. Trayon A. White / Trayon White 2024". www.fairelections.ocf.dc.gov. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ Collins, Sam P.K. (September 5, 2023). "Markus Batchelor to Announce Run for Ward 8 Council Seat". The Washington Informer. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Koma, Alex (March 14, 2023). "Contenders Are Lining Up for the Ward 8 Council Race, As Rumors About Trayon White's Future Heat Up". Washington City Paper. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Wright Jr., James (January 18, 2023). "Ex-Ballou Principal Set to Enter Ward 8 Council Race in 2024". The Washington Informer. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "Kevin Jonathan Cannaday / Friends and Family of Kevin Cannaday". www.fairelections.ocf.dc.gov. Retrieved March 31, 2024.