Former Mayor Vincent Gray's return to D.C. politics was a prominent theme in the 2016 race for six seats on the Council of the District of Columbia. Gray, who was defeated by Mayor Muriel Bowser in the 2014 Democratic primary, defeated Ward 7 incumbent and Bowser ally Yvette Alexander in the June 14 Democratic primary.[1] There was also a primary rematch of the 2015 Ward 8 special election between incumbent LaRuby May (D) and challenger Trayon White (D). May won the seat with a 78-vote margin over White out of more than 7,000 votes in 2015, but White defeated May in the June 2016 primary. At-Large incumbent and Bowser ally Vincent Orange (D) also lost in the primary to Robert White (D). Learn more about how these races impacted the council's relationship with the mayor by clicking here.
The city of Washington, D.C., held elections for city council on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on June 14, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run for the nominations of the Democratic, Republican, Green, or Libertarian parties was March 16, 2016. Independent candidates had until August 10, 2016, to file for the general election. Six of the 13 city council seats were up for election. Voters in Washington, D.C., also voted on an advisory referendum regarding a statehood proposal.[2]
In 2016, there were eight seats elected by district and five at-large seats on the district's council. One of the at-large seats was designated as the council's chairperson. Each councilmember was elected to a four-year term. The federal Home Rule Act of 1973 prevented the council's majority party from holding more than three of the five at-large seats at the same time. Democrats held 11 of the 13 council seats heading into the election with two at-large seats held by independents. This act meant that at least one of the two at-large seats up for election in 2016 went to a non-majority party candidate.[3]
Note:Robert White was appointed in September 2016 to fill the vacancy left after the resignation of Vincent Orange. Orange left office before the end of his term to lead the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.[4]
Candidates running for office in Washington, D.C., in 2016 were required to file campaign finance reports by June 10, 2016. Candidates in contested primaries reported $542,429.65 in contributions and $1,020,941.39 in expenditures for the filing period from March 1, 2016, to June 10, 2016. These totals do not include a campaign finance report from Ward 8 incumbent LaRuby May, which was not available through the district's campaign finance database as of June 13, 2016. Ward 4 incumbent Brandon Todd topped Democratic primary candidates in contributions with $125,031.00 during the June 10 reporting period. He also led the pack in expenditures with $265,216.04 spent during this reporting period.[6] The following tables detail contributions and expenditures for candidates who faced contested primaries on June 14, 2016:
Candidates running for office in Washington, D.C., in 2016 were required to file campaign finance reports by March 10, 2016. Candidates in contested primaries reported $378,042.76 in contributions and $124,374.58 in expenditures for the filing period from February 1, 2016, to March 10, 2016. Ward 8 incumbent LaRuby May reported the biggest haul for the reporting period with $92,005 in contributions followed by Ward 7 challenger Vincent Gray at $78,210.07 and Ward 4 incumbent Brandon Todd at $59,962.00.[6] The following tables detail contributions and expenditures for candidates who faced contested primaries on June 14, 2016:
Council races in 2016 helped determine whether a majority of city councilmembers would work closely with Mayor Muriel Bowser or challenge the mayor's agenda until the next scheduled election in 2018. Entering the 2016 election, there were seven members on the council were generally aligned with the mayor's proposals, while six members frequently opposed some or all aspects of her agenda. Of the six council seats up for election in 2016, five were held by members aligned with the mayor. A shift in one or more of those seats could alter the council's voting dynamics. Three incumbents generally supportive of Bowser's initiatives were defeated in the June 14 Democratic primary.[7]Three Bowser allies were defeated in the June 14 Democratic primary. The following table outlines the council members’ alignments before the 2016 primaries:
This division on the council emerged over several policies brought forward in 2015 and early 2016:
Dismantling of FreshPAC: The influence of FreshPAC, a political action committee run by supporters of Bowser, was criticized by councilmembers in fall 2015. Cheh and Grosso proposed a measure in October 2015 to close a loophole in city campaign finance laws that allowed PACs to raise unlimited funds in years where they weren't supporting candidates. This proposal came after FreshPAC received $300,000 in contributions during the previous summer from individuals also seeking district contracts. Cheh, Grosso, Mendelson, Silverman and Allen were joined by Bowser allies Bonds and Nadeau in support of the measure. The measure was opposed by Orange, Alexander, Evans, Todd and May.[11] The PAC returned contributions and shuttered in November 2015.[12]
Acquisition of Pepco by Exelon: Allen, Cheh, Grosso and Silverman were vocal opponents of the acquisition of local utility Pepco by Illinois energy firm Exelon first proposed in 2015. The councilmembers cited higher utility rates for district residents as their primary concern. Cheh also noted that mayoral adviser Beverly Perry previously worked as a vice president at Pepco. Bowser supported a proposed acquisition agreement featuring limits on rate increases, which was rejected by the D.C. Public Service Commission in February 2016.[13][14] The acquisition was supported by Evans, Nadeau, McDuffie, Bonds, Alexander, May, and Todd in a letter to the commission in October 2015.[15] Exelon completed its acquisition of Pepco on March 23, 2016 after approval by district and federal regulators.[16][17]
Crime bill: In January 2016, Mendelson, McDuffie and Cheh blocked a proposal by Bowser to increase penalties for crimes committed on public transportation or in parks. McDuffie, the head of the council's Judiciary Committee, received help from Mendelson, who used his prerogative as council chair to vote in the committee. Mendelson took that step because he concluded that the penalties would not reduce crime. Evans, who proposed the measure in committee, objected to Mendelson's involvement in the vote.[18]
In Ward 7, Vincent Gray's challenge to Yvette Alexander represented a challenge to Bowser, according to Alexander. Alexander told interviewer Kojo Nnamdi that Gray "has his eyes on the mayor's seat and he wants to get back."[19] Gray cited dissatisfaction with Alexander's representation of Ward 7 and a lack of responsiveness to constituent needs in announcing his campaign in February 2016. He also criticized Bowser for her failure to cultivate relationships with the business community in an appearance on Nnamdi's radio show. Alexander formerly aligned with Gray during his time as mayor. Alexander aligned with Bowser after her November 2014 election.[20]
Drug Policy Action distributed a mailer to residents of Ward 7 criticizing Alexander's vote against public venues for marijuana consumption referred to as "cannabis clubs." The April 2016 council vote rejected these venues by a 7-6 majority. The mailer highlighted Gray's support for marijuana decriminalization.[21]
DC Trust dissolution
In May 2016, Gray and Alexander criticized each other following the failure of DC Trust. DC Trust was a nonprofit that worked with city officials to distribute public funds to more than 70 youth programs in the district since its creation in 1999. The board of DC Trust voted in April 2016 to dissolve the organization due to significant debt and mismanagement of public funds. Problems in the organization began when a 2012 federal embezzlement case revealed that former Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. took $350,000 from youth baseball programs for personal use. A 2013 congressional investigation into DC Trust's administration of federal funds for school vouchers led to criticism of the organization's financial controls. Former DC Trust director Ed Davies and financial officer Earl Hamilton were found to have used public funds for private use in January 2016.[22]
Michael Czin, speaking on behalf of the Bowser administration, criticized Gray for poor administration of DC Trust during his time as mayor. This criticism included references to midyear shifts in the city budget to plug gaps in DC Trust's funding, which obscured overhead costs that were approximately 45 percent of the organization's budget in 2015.[23]
Gray responded that these budget adjustments were necessary to restore public faith in DC Trust in the wake of Thomas' embezzlement conviction. He also told The Washington Post that Alexander's lack of oversight contributed to the organization's failure. Gray argued that Alexander should not have canceled a hearing on DC Trust in late April 2016, noting that hearings are "a legislator's job, to create an environment where all the facts are put on the table." Alexander told the paper that she canceled the hearing to listen to concerns by local nonprofits and that a Gray victory would mean a loss of seniority on council boards.[23]
Ward 8
The 2015 special election for Wards 4 and 8 resulted in two former Bowser aides winning election to the council. Ward 8 incumbent LaRuby May won her seat in a 2015 special election thanks in part to support from Bowser. She narrowly edged challenger Trayon White by 78 votes. White defeated May in their second face-off in the 2016 Democratic primary. May's relationship with the mayor dates back to her work as a ward coordinator for Bowser's 2014 campaign. The Ward 8 race differed from the Ward 4 special election in 2015, which concluded with a 22 percent margin of victory for former Bowser aide Brandon Todd. White, a community activist, received support from D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, who has disagreed with Bowser over the office's authority since his election to the post in 2014.[24]
Drug Policy Action distributed a mailer to residents of Ward 8 criticizing May's vote against public venues for marijuana consumption referred to as "cannabis clubs." The April 2016 council vote rejected these venues by a 7-6 majority. The mailer highlighted White's support for regulated marijuana sales as a means for reducing sales of illegal drugs.[25]
Voters should vote for me to continue receiving results they can count on. These results include a $15 per hour minimum wage, 5 days of sick leave pay for tipped wage workers, $635 million to be spent with D.C. small businesses, and pursuing real affordable housing for our D.C. residents. Currently, I am working to make UDC-Community College a tuition-free institution for obtaining associate degrees, making D.C. a free WiFi and Internet access jurisdiction to reduce the digital divide, and $1 billion dollars of affordable housing.
David Garber
District residents deserve an elected official who will be responsive to the diversity of needs that exist across the city. As a former two-term elected neighorhood commissioner (2010-2014), I am the only person in this race who has experience representing and advocating for neighborhood-level issues and interests. ( Editor’s note: White and Orange says he was president of a citizens association) I fought with parents to open a school that opened this past fall, made inclusivity and diversity in housing options a priority with new development, worked to bring amenities (parks, diverse transportation options, river recreation, retail and restaurants) to the waterfront. As a member of the council, my focus will be on being responsive and results-oriented, and making sure that this is a city that the diversity of residents that call DC home can live in for the long-term.
Robert White
I am the only candidate in this race who has a vision that includes all of our residents, and I am the only candidate that can bring the people of the District together to support the work required to make the District more inclusive. Vincent Orange’s record has been one of pay-to-play politics and election year horse-trading, and he has failed us on the job training program and affordable housing. In terms of the other person in the race, he has little professional experience and would do well to be further down a career pathway so that his contribution in the future could be substantive.
What should be the D.C. council’s number one priority?
Vincent Orange
The number one priority should be fiscal responsibility. While being fiscally responsible, we can provide real affordable housing for our workforce, enhance school reform and modernization, implement homeless initiatives and provide for better public safety.
David Garber
I’ve lived in and been an active participant in a diverse set of communities across D.C. What’s become clear to me is that we still have a long way to go to have neighborhoods that are equitably served by amenities, economic opportunity and a great quality of life. There are still many communities being left behind, where commercial corridors are empty and kids don’t see a pathway to a success-filled future. The D.C. Council’s number one priority needs to be bringing opportunity to neighborhoods and residents who are still being left behind.
Robert White
Our first priority should be to hold oversight hearings on the Job Training Program, and set a milestone-based course for implementing a short-term plan to put the tens of millions of dollars in federal grant funds to work. Our residents need certifications and new skills that enable them to apply for some of the 50,000 job openings in the District – but for which many of our residents currently do not have the requisite education or skills. The Job Training Program has to be the means of moving individuals – and families – out of poverty and hourly wage jobs and into career-track positions.
What will you do to reduce the number of homeless families in the city?
Vincent Orange
We must close D.C. General and implement the homeless shelter plan that includes all eight Wards participating. We must train our residents for job opportunities and provide wrap-around services where needed. Also, we must provide mobile shower buses for the homeless and free personal hygiene products for homeless women.
David Garber
I am supportive of the council’s plan to build housing for women and children experiencing homelessness in all wards of the city. As Council member, I will work to provide additional funding for the Housing Production Trust Fund, target and streamline processes for receiving housing services and subsidies, make sure we are including family-sized units in new affordable housing projects, and preserve existing affordable rental housing.
Robert White
We have to go into the homeless community and begin the conversation with each person to find the appropriate solution; not everyone who is homeless has become homeless for the same reasons. For families or individuals who are on the streets as a result of job losses or a loss of housing, we need short-term solutions, but we must also address the root causes of a lack of affordable housing, a lack of employment (which may result from a lack of skills), and a lack of education. We have to stabilize more families and position them for success in our city.
What do you see as the biggest threat to the District’s future – and how would you address it?
Vincent Orange
Congress is the greatest threat to the District’s future. We must have budget autonomy and be able to enact laws that are beneficial to D.C. We have proven that we can maintain our own finances because we have balanced 22 consecutive budgets, we went from a fiscal year 1999 $518 million deficit to a fiscal year 2017 budget of $13.4 billion. Today we have over $2 billion in our rainy day fund. We are a financially sound city, and Congress should allow us to control our affairs.
David Garber
The biggest threat to the District’s future is the rising wave of violent crime that’s happening across the city. My five-step plan for reducing crime across the city focuses efforts on: increasing the number of officers and doing a better job of retaining officers in the Metropolitan Police Department, reinstating localized neighborhood crime units, addressing the underlying issues -- systemic poverty and economic opportunity -- that lead to crime, mentorship and incentive-based programs for at-risk young people and increasing transparency across agencies handling prosecution in the District.
Robert White
The future of the District is bright, but the question is whether we are willing to make that future an inclusive one or an exclusive one. So many people have suffered through D.C.s worst times, waiting for better days, but as a stronger D.C. is emerging, they are being shown the door. We must invest in the future of our middle class and low-income families. That starts with affordable housing, an improved job-training program, and stable households that then embrace and can participate in the education of their children as well as their own education.
What’s the biggest mistake the D.C. Council has made in recent years – and what would you have done differently?
Vincent Orange
D.C. Council’s biggest mistake has been not ensuring the completion of the New Communities Initiative. This initiative provides for 1,645 affordable housing units in Barry Farms, Lincoln Heights, Northwest One and Park Morton. In addition, D.C. Council must provide $1 billion of affordable housing including to seniors on fixed income, homeless families and households making $30,000 to $60,000. Furthermore, the D.C. Council must mandate that our 3rd graders are reading independently and can add, subtract, multiply and divide upon entering the 4th grade; thus providing a pathway to middle school success and a pathway to graduate from high school.
David Garber
The Council’s biggest mistake in recent years has been the lack of oversight on school modernization projects across the city. There is no reason the District should be spending more per square foot than public charter schools on similar projects, and leaving some school communities in the dust while lining the pockets of those lucky enough to get non-compete construction contracts. My experience in communities and schools across the District, as well as my years working in the real estate and construction fields gives me the perfect level of experience to provide the oversight needed to force the District to be more responsible with D.C. taxpayer dollars, while improving more schools in neighborhoods across D.C.
Robert White
The Council, and specifically Vincent Orange, has dropped the ball on oversight of the job-training program. This is a cornerstone program and the lack of attention to it has had dire consequences on the lives of people losing ground in a city with rising costs. As chairman of the committee with oversight of the job-training program, Vincent Orange has either been grossly negligent or willfully uninterested in doing the real work required in his position.
Endorsements
The following table displays endorsements issued in the 2016 election:
Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States. In accordance with the U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, it is not part of a state. As of 2010, its population was 601,723.
Washington, D.C., uses a strong mayor and council system. In this form of municipal government, the D.C. Council serves as the district's primary legislative body while the mayor serves as the district's chief executive officer.
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
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Robert White Incumbent
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