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Kelly Mikel Williams

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Kelly Mikel Williams
Image of Kelly Mikel Williams

Candidate, U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Elections and appointments
Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

Other

California State University, Hayward, 1990

Personal
Birthplace
Los Angeles, Calif.
Religion
Non Denominational
Profession
Home health caregiver
Contact

Kelly Mikel Williams (Democratic Party) is running for election for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]

Biography

Kelly Mikel Williams was born in Los Angeles, California. Williams' professional experience includes working as a home health caregiver. He earned a degree from California State University, Hayward in 1990.[1]

Elections

2026

See also: United States House of Representatives election in the District of Columbia, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on November 3, 2026.


Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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2024

See also: United States House of Representatives election in the District of Columbia, 2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton defeated Kymone Freeman, Myrtle Alexander, and Michael A. Brown in the general election for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Eleanor Holmes Norton
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D)
 
80.1
 
251,540
Image of Kymone Freeman
Kymone Freeman (G) Candidate Connection
 
7.0
 
21,873
Image of Myrtle Alexander
Myrtle Alexander (R) Candidate Connection
 
6.3
 
19,765
Image of Michael A. Brown
Michael A. Brown (Independent)
 
6.1
 
19,033
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.6
 
1,858

Total votes: 314,069
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton defeated Kelly Mikel Williams in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Eleanor Holmes Norton
Eleanor Holmes Norton
 
79.6
 
72,979
Image of Kelly Mikel Williams
Kelly Mikel Williams
 
19.1
 
17,540
 Other/Write-in votes
 
1.3
 
1,164

Total votes: 91,683
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Myrtle Alexander advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Myrtle Alexander
Myrtle Alexander Candidate Connection
 
88.6
 
2,022
 Other/Write-in votes
 
11.4
 
260

Total votes: 2,282
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Green primary election

Green primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Kymone Freeman advanced from the Green primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kymone Freeman
Kymone Freeman Candidate Connection
 
83.5
 
406
 Other/Write-in votes
 
16.5
 
80

Total votes: 486
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Williams in this election.

2022

See also: United States House of Representatives election in the District of Columbia, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton defeated Nelson Rimensnyder, Natale Stracuzzi, and Bruce Majors in the general election for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Eleanor Holmes Norton
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D)
 
86.5
 
174,238
Image of Nelson Rimensnyder
Nelson Rimensnyder (R)
 
5.8
 
11,701
Image of Natale Stracuzzi
Natale Stracuzzi (G)
 
4.9
 
9,867
Image of Bruce Majors
Bruce Majors (L) Candidate Connection
 
2.0
 
4,003
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.8
 
1,521

Total votes: 201,330
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton defeated Kelly Mikel Williams and Wendy Hamilton in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on June 21, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Eleanor Holmes Norton
Eleanor Holmes Norton
 
86.7
 
107,289
Image of Kelly Mikel Williams
Kelly Mikel Williams Candidate Connection
 
6.2
 
7,681
Image of Wendy Hamilton
Wendy Hamilton Candidate Connection
 
6.2
 
7,680
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.9
 
1,090

Total votes: 123,740
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Nelson Rimensnyder advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on June 21, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Nelson Rimensnyder
Nelson Rimensnyder
 
88.1
 
2,508
 Other/Write-in votes
 
11.9
 
340

Total votes: 2,848
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Green primary election

Green primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Natale Stracuzzi advanced from the Green primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on June 21, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Natale Stracuzzi
Natale Stracuzzi (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
0
 Other/Write-in votes
 
100
 
352

Total votes: 352
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia

Bruce Majors advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of Columbia on June 21, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Bruce Majors
Bruce Majors (Write-in) Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
87

Total votes: 87
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

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2024

Campaign website

Kelly Mikel Williams’s campaign website stated the following:

CRIME

After decades of progress, DC is regaining a reputation we don’t want as a crime capital. 2023 was DC’s deadliest year for homicides since 1997. Carjackings and other armed robberies are terrorizing all areas of the District. Kelly Mikel’s advocacy in Congress will make lawmakers from across the country recognize the importance of reducing gun violence and other crimes in our nation’s capital. As the son of a cop and as an African-American male, Kelly Mikel knows DC residents’ experiences with law enforcement vary. But we all have the same expectation and right: safety. We need the full cooperation of the District’s 31 federal and local law enforcement partners to protect DC.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

As a DC resident who has rented, owned and been unhoused, Kelly Mikel is personally committed to addressing the pressing issue of affordable housing in our expensive city. As ANC Commissioner, he has fought for his neighbors’ rights during renovations to their apartments. He sees missed opportunities in federal housing programs that should be benefiting more DC families, seniors, and individuals across all income levels.

HOMELESSNESS

Kelly Mikel’s personal journey from homelessness fuels his passion for ensuring everyone in DC has safe and stable housing. He is dedicated to expanding outreach programs, advocating for mental health resources, and creating a comprehensive support system for those experiencing homelessness. He volunteers on the board of Covenant House Greater Washington, which provides a variety of supports for unhoused youth. Kelly Mikel understands firsthand the complexity of this issue and will leverage his experiences to access federal resources for individuals and families facing homelessness. Our country’s capital should be a model of solutions to a nationwide problem.

JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Kelly Mikel’s commitment to economic inclusion is grounded in his experiences helping others navigate challenges, ensuring that DC’s growth benefits everyone. Through his work with DC’s small businesses and other employers and his federal experience facilitating financing for America’s farmers, Kelly Mikel understands that every job and every worker contributes to a diverse economy and a prosperous community. Kelly Mikel will advocate in Congress for federal jobs and functions to remain closest to the center of our nation’s government – right here in Washington. But Kelly Mikel also believes that local businesses are just as vital to DC’s economy. In fact, he and his business partners are converting a former theater in Ward 7 into a restaurant that will contribute to economic development east of the Anacostia River. Kelly Mikel is also founder of the Anacostia-Heights Community Credit Union (in formation), which will promote economic and financial stability in Wards 7 and 8 by lending to residents and minority-owned businesses.

DC STATEHOOD

One day Kelly Mikel hopes DC will be recognized as the 51st state and have full voting representation in Congress. Our delegate to Congress has been championing statehood over three decades, and it hasn’t happened. To the contrary, today Republicans elected far away from Washington are meddling in local decisions just to score political points. Kelly Mikel will fight for statehood and work to persuade Democratic senators who have not yet supported the District’s right to autonomy and voting representation in Congress. While doing so, he will focus on day-to-day issues that DC residents care about most. [2]

—Kelly Mikel Williams’s campaign website (2024)[3]

Kelly Mikel Williams did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Candidate Connection

Kelly Mikel Williams completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Williams' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Kelly Mikel Williams is a single father, caregiver of his 82yr mother, Christian, trauma recoveree, and homeless survivor. He is a public servant who served at every level of government, where he advocated for public policy changes for those most in need. He will be a compassionately committed servant to our community. His goal is to achieve statehood while providing permanent housing for the homeless, supporting mental health services, reducing crime, providing job opportunities, and promoting life skills in school. He especially wants communities of color to realize their social, economic, and political potential and power to change the trajectory of their communities, city, and family.
  • Housing is a RIGHT, not an option. Tents shouldn’t be permanent living quarters for anyone. Providing permanent housing for our homeless will lift their quality of life and that of the community. Families need the stability that allows them to feel secure and ultimately makes our communities secure. Kelly Mikel is the only candidate addressing the plight of tent cities. As a homeless survivor, he has an intimate understanding of what our homeless residents are feeling and suffering. He will secure the funding for programs to aid in developing permanent housing. Our leaders have paid lip service to the needs of our homeless residents and haven’t had the will to make the hard choices, Kelly Mikel has the will and will make the choice.
  • Crime across our nation's capital is rising. The root cause of most crime outside of mental health is a lack of jobs or recreational activities that can deter criminal behavior, especially in low-income neighborhoods. Recently, life skills training for youth was acknowledged as an additional remedy to reducing crime. Kelly Mikel will establish life skill programs for students to help with conflict resolution and the ability to evaluate situations before they react. Training our children in the way they should go allows them to respect themselves and others. Kelly Mikel will create the foundation that will change lives and communities. Being from a law enforcement family, he understands both sides of the coin as an African-American man.
  • More than 250K jobs were lost in the District on top of the already rising unemployment prior to the height of the pandemic. Small businesses, front-line workers, professional services, and the services industry were all hit hard. In an effort to recover and provide new opportunities for District residents, Kelly Mikel will utilize the current workforce development training provided by the University of the District of Columbia and enhance it with more funding and new programs that will broaden the pool of opportunities for our residents. These programs will be free or low-cost to District residents ensuring no one is left behind or taken for granted. Our displaced workers and returning citizens will all have an opportunity to succeed.
Kelly Mikel Williams is passionate about homelessness. He was once homeless when his son was just three-years-old. The need for permanent housing is vital to the foundation of our society. He believes that housing is a RIGHT, and it must be viewed and legislated that way. He is also very passionate about voting rights, which are being stripped away from the poor and people of color. Breaking the cycle of oppression is critical to our democracy. He believes that our youth should have life skills training while they are taught how to succeed in life. We have to educate the whole mind, not just the academic spirit. Kelly Mikel wants every Washingtonian to have a gainful occupation. One way to do this is to provide workforce development training that expands the employment opportunities and helps reduce our poverty rates. He believes that through programs like this, we will be able to reduce crime in our city and bring a better quality of life to our communities. He believes we must address the mental health trauma that is often the cause of many ills in our society. We can’t keep putting band-aids on deep wounds that have been infected and not treated. He believes we need to minister to the root causes and the injury. All of this will continue as he fights to secure DC Statehood for the more than 700,000 residents of the District.
I have had the esteemed privilege to work at every level of government, from the state legislature to the White House and, most recently, D.C. City Council. In each of my roles, I’ve sat at the tables where policies were developed, introduced, negotiated, and passed. I’ve worked with various organizations, groups, and labor. I have personally crafted legislation for members. There have been moments when I’ve had to work with business, specifically the Chamber of Commerce.
I’ve organized programs, campaigns, and events. I have a heart for people. As a single father and the caregiver for my 82yr old mother, who suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, I’ve learned how to anticipate a need and listen. As a single parent, I’ve known how to adapt to the circumstances and provide with little to nothing. I’ve honed my negotiation and planning skills to prepare for what might come before it does. I’ve also learned how to meet people at their needs and not tell them what they need. Surviving homelessness isn’t just about finding a job; it’s about maintaining your perspective on life and what’s ahead. It’s about seeing your circumstances as temporary and not permanent. It’s about being determined to never return to that way of life. And having the responsibility of a three-year-old little boy certainly made that determination a constant reminder of what was necessary to survive and come out on top. I have the compassion, commitment, and heart for our community to make sure that our homeless are homebound, our unemployed are gainfully employed, and that crime becomes an incident and not a pandemic. Therefore, I bring organization, management, negotiation, budgeting, forecasting, public policy, and community relations skills to this position and so many more that I don’t have space to list.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ELECTED OFFICIAL

I believe the core responsibility of the person elected to this office is to:
1. Represent the constituents that elected them. In addition, they should;
2. Uphold their Constitutional Oath.
3. Serve with honesty, dignity, and integrity.
4. Make laws for the benefit of their constituents and the nation
5. Provide oversight on the committees that they are assigned.

I would note that these are just a few characteristics, along with several other constitutionally mandated ones that I believe are the core responsibilities of an elected official.

I recall two historical events, but the one that was most publicized and garnered the most attention should be the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. It was the first time an American spacecraft was involved in a fatal accident in flight. This was the first time I could recall seeing a flight with actual astronauts. I believe the previous flights that I had witnessed were all flights of satellites. It was even more significant as it was the first time an African-American and I think women would be on board. It was a tragedy and something that I will always remember.
I actually have two favorite books. My first is The Richest Man That Ever Lived, by Steven K. Scott. The other is Destiny, by Bishop T. D. Jakes. Bishop Jakes's book kind of speaks for itself, although there's much more in it than just reaching for your destiny. It speaks to your faith in your journeys, especially those you take on that you're not sure if you should. It brings light to where life is taking you if you allow it. Your destiny is your choice, but if you allow yourself to think beyond or outside of the box, you may find a new life that you never thought of exploring. Bishop Jakes's unique way of teaching and inspiring at the same time is phenomenal. Scott's book is just as powerful. In his book, he presents biblical principles to everyday life and business. He uses the book of Proverbs (the book of wisdom) to set the tone for conducting business, relationships, and life. He challenges the reader to read a chapter of Proverbs every day for the corresponding day of the week. There are 31 chapters in the month and thirty-one chapters of Proverbs. I haven't been able to do it for the two years as he suggests, but I have been able to do it for a year all twelve months. It was very powerful. These books push you out of your comfort zone and teach you to see beyond your circumstances and what you can see with your natural eyes but where you allow your faith to carry you. Both are biblically bound yet very humanly centered to not go too deep into religion but use it as the foundation for believers and the foundation of our country as a Christian nation.
The song that has resonated with me throughout this process is a song by The Winans called "It's Time!" The song is so apropos for this election season that I've made it my theme song. The lyrics speak to our times, and the music is over 30yrs old. The hook says, "it's time to make a change, and we are the people who can do it...." Listen/watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE44QtVCQQE


Several committees/subcommittees would be of interest to me to serve on. I desire to help the residents of my district and provide them with the resources that will allow them to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I want them to have equitable and equal treatment/access under the law. I want them to have the same opportunities as residents in some of our more affluent communities. I want our children to excel in learning and have careers that they can afford to live in the city they grew up in. I want them to feel safe when they walk with their friends and loved ones in the park. This is my purpose as a Delegate. Therefore, the committees I believe will provide me with the best opportunity to deliver on my goal are the Financial Services Committee and/or the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance. These committees directly address the central plank of my platform to provide housing for our homeless residents and make affordable housing truly affordable. In addition, these committees have oversight with banking and credit, which is critical in communities of color in enabling them to acquire housing and maintain it. Their financial status and credit, in some instances, are crucial for obtaining employment. I would also like to serve on the Judiciary Committee or the Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. This impacts communities of color, LGBTQ+, and women. A critical committee in our democracy. Another committee would be Education and Labor and Government Oversight and Transportation and Infrastructure. Each of these is vital to my district and constituents.

Fourteen states have term limits for governors. Another fifteen have term limits on state legislators. Our president, and our mayors, in some cases, have term limits. Congress is the one body that allows individuals to serve in office for forty or fifty years or more. Moreover, with incumbency comes millions of dollars in special interest that keeps our elected officials bound to the lobby rather than the constituents they are elected to serve. Indeed, institutional knowledge is vital to the stability of congress; however, I believe that there should be some form of term limits for every elective and appointed office. I think this is evident given recent lifetime appoints to the federal bench of unqualified judges, only appointed for their ideological stances and not their judicial prowess. Anytime you have a federal judge openly lie to congress for the sole purpose of changing the very constitution they swore to uphold, we need to be able to remove them when the impeachment process isn’t a viable option because of the partisanship we have in congress. A staggard House of Representatives similar to the Senate could be an option.
Our representative democracy, I believe, was initially rooted in the concept of compromise. Where those elected would have to work with others from the opposite party to represent the needs of the people. The definition of bipartisanship is to work with one another. To work across the aisle. Unfortunately, a current group of legislators has no desire to work with members from the opposite party. In such a divided congress, compromise is the only way to move non-partisan legislation. Suppose our elective government is led by cults, anti-government zealots, and individuals who only care about themselves, power, and their party. In that case, we will continue to divide this country and push it back to a time when many of us would rather not return. Before the Tea Party, members worked together to better the country. There was a compromise between the President and Congress. Reagan worked with Democrats. Clinton worked with Republicans. Bush worked, slowing, of course, with Democrats. It wasn’t until President Obama took office that all bets were off. There is no compromise today. I will always lead with an open mind and hope that my colleagues will come from the same posture in working to solve our nation’s problems.

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Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Kelly Mikel Williams campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2026* U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of ColumbiaCandidacy Declared general$700 N/A**
2024* U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of ColumbiaLost primary$5,750 $4,563
2022U.S. House Non-Voting Delegate District of ColumbiaLost primary$27,814 $22,703
Grand total$34,264 $27,265
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 10, 2022
  2. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. Kelly Mikel Williams’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed June 3, 2024


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