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2020 Council of the District of Columbia election

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The 2020 general election for Council of the District of Columbia was held on November 3, with a special election for ward 2 held on June 27. Elections were held for the seats of four out of the eight wards and two of the four at-large seats. The Democratic Party retained its control of the city council, with the council becaming majority female for the first time since the 1998 election.[1]

Quick facts 5 seats on the Council of the District of Columbia 7 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia election

← 2018
November 3, 2020[a]
2022 →

5 seats on the Council of the District of Columbia[b]
7 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Phil Mendelson
Party Democratic Independent
Seats before 11 2
Seats after 11 2
Seat change Steady Steady


Chair of the Council before election

Phil Mendelson
Democratic

Elected Chair of the Council

Phil Mendelson
Democratic

Close

Ward 2 councilmember Jack Evans resigned from the city council due to a corruption scandal, triggering a special election. Despite resigning, Evans unsuccessfully ran for his seat in the Democratic primary, which was won by Brooke Pinto. Incumbent councilors Robert White, Pinto, Vincent C. Gray, and Trayon White won reelection. Janeese Lewis George won election to the city council after defeating incumbent councilor Brandon Todd, while David Grosso retired and was succeeded by Christina Henderson.

This was the first city council election to have public campaign financing with $3.4 million being given to candidates, with George being given the most at $281,055 during the campaign.

Background

Mayor Muriel Bowser won reelection in the 2018 election becoming the first mayor to win reelection since 2002.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4]

Summary

Democrats remained the largest party on the council, with no seats being lost to other parties or independents.

At-large

More information Position, Incumbent ...
Position Incumbent Candidates[5]
Member Party First
elected
Status
At-large Robert White Democratic 2013 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY Robert White (Democratic) 25.96%
  • ▌Green tickY Christina Henderson (Independent) 14.77%
  • ▌ Vincent Orange (Independent) 12.01%
  • ▌ Ed Lazere (Independent) 11.54%
  • ▌ Marcus Goodwin (Independent) 11.31%
  • ▌ Markus Batchelor (Independent) 3.56%
  • ▌ Marya Pickering (Republican) 3.33%
  • ▌ Mónica Palacio (Independent) 2.54%
David Grosso Independent 2014 Incumbent retired.

New member elected.

Close

Wards

More information Position, Incumbent ...
Position Incumbent Candidates[6]
Member Party First

elected

Status
Ward 2 Brooke Pinto Democratic 2014 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY Brooke Pinto (Democratic) 68.30%
  • ▌ Randy Downs (Independent) 20.60%
  • ▌ Martin Miguel Fernandez (Independent) 7.17%
Ward 4 Brandon Todd Democratic 2015 (special) Incumbent lost re-election
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Ward 7 Vincent Gray Democratic 2016 Incumbent re-elected
Ward 8 Trayon White Democratic 2016 Incumbent re-elected.
  • ▌Green tickY Trayon White (Democratic) 78.84%
  • ▌ Fred Hill (Independent) 14.76%
  • ▌ Christopher Cole (Independent) 3.18%
  • ▌ Nate Derenge (Republican) 2.23%
Close

At-large

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia At-large Election

← 2016
November 3, 2020
2024 →
 
Nominee Robert White Christina Henderson Vincent Orange
Party Democratic Independent Independent
Popular vote 139,208 79,189 64,389
Percentage 25.96% 14.77% 12.01%

 
Nominee Ed Lazere Marcus Goodwin Markus Batchelor
Party Independent Independent Independent
Popular vote 61,882 60,636 19,095
Percentage 11.54% 11.31% 3.56%

Councilmember before election

Robert White (Dem.)
David Grosso (Ind.)

Elected Councilmember

Robert White (Dem.)
Christina Henderson (Ind.)

Close

David Grosso, an independent member of the city council, announced that he would not seek reelection in 2020.[7] Robert White announced that he would seek reelection on October 29, 2019.[8]

White won renomination in the Democratic primary without opposition.[9] White and Henderson won in the general election.[10]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Endorsements

More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia At-large Democratic primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert White (incumbent) 93,264 97.22%
Write-in 2,669 2.78%
Total votes 95,933 100.00%
Close

Libertarian primary

Candidates

  • Joe Bishop-Henchman
More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia At-large Libertarian primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Libertarian Joe Bishop-Henchman 135 86.54%
Write-in 21 13.46%
Total votes 156 100.00%
Close

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Marya Pickering, business consultant[26]
More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia At-large Republican primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marya Pickering 2,056 90.18%
Write-in 224 9.82%
Total votes 2,280 100.00%
Close

Statehood Green party

Candidates

  • Ann C. Wilcox
More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia At-large Statehood Green primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
DC Statehood Green Ann C. Wilcox 409 85.39%
Write-in 70 14.61%
Total votes 479 100.00%
Close

Independents

Candidates

Withdrawn

  • Rick Murphree, ANC commissioner[6]

Declined

Endorsements

Markus Batchelor
Federal officials
Labor unions
  • Washington Teachers' Union[28]
Local officials
Organizations
Franklin Garcia
Local officials
Marcus Goodwin
Christina Henderson
Local officials
Publications
Ed Lazere
Labor unions
Local officials
Organizations
Vincent Orange
Organizations
  • Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington[28]
  • DC Association of Realtors[28]
Alexander Padro
Organizations

General election

More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia At-large election[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert White (incumbent) 139,208 25.96%
Independent Christina Henderson 79,189 14.77%
Independent Vincent Orange 64,389 12.01%
Independent Ed Lazere 61,882 11.54%
Independent Marcus Goodwin 60,636 11.31%
Independent Markus Batchelor 19,095 3.56%
Republican Marya Pickering 17,883 3.33%
Independent Mónica Palacio 13,635 2.54%
DC Statehood Green Ann C. Wilcox 9,793 1.83%
Independent Franklin Garcia 8,972 1.67%
Independent Jeanné Lewis 7,417 1.38%
Independent Chander Jayaraman 7,365 1.37%
Independent Claudia Barragán 5,607 1.05%
Independent A'Shia Howard 5,329 0.99%
Libertarian Joe Bishop-Henchman 5,173 0.96%
Independent Will Merrifield 5,086 0.95%
Independent Kathy Henderson 4,803 0.90%
Independent Alexander M. Padro 3,780 0.70%
Independent Calvin H. Gurley 3,203 0.60%
Independent Michangelo Scruggs 2,874 0.54%
Independent Keith Silver 2,605 0.49%
Independent Mario Cristaldo 2,384 0.44%
Write-in 2,266 0.42%
Independent Rick Murphree 1,851 0.35%
Independent Eric M. Rogers 1,839 0.34%
Total votes 535,264 100.00%
Close

Ward 2

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 2 Election

November 3, 2020
2024 →
 
Nominee Brooke Pinto Randy Downs Martín Miguel Fernandez
Party Democratic Independent Independent
Popular vote 20,364 6,141 2,137
Percentage 68.30% 20.60% 7.17%

Councilmember before election

Brooke Pinto
Democratic

Elected Councilmember

Brooke Pinto
Democratic

Close

A recall attempt had been made against Evans, but the District of Columbia Board of Elections ruled that the recall campaign couldn't collect signatures due to them not filing the proper campaign finance paperwork.[46] Evans, the longest serving member of the city council since his first election in 1991, resigned on January 17, 2020, while under investigation for ethics violations and after all twelve other members voted unanimously to recommend his expulsion. His resignation caused a special election to be held.[47][48] Evans announced that he would run in the special election on January 28, but later dropped out of the special election while remaining in the Democratic primary.[49][50]

Pinto won in the special election and the Democratic nomination.[51][9] She won in the general election against independent candidates Randy Downs and Martín Miguel Fernandez and Statehood Green nominee Peter Bolton.[5]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Endorsements

John Fanning
Labor unions
Local officials
Jordan Grossman
Patrick Kennedy
Kishan Putta
Federal officials
More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 2 Democratic primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brooke Pinto 3,142 28.38%
Democratic Patrick Kennedy 2,763 24.96%
Democratic Jordan Grossman 2,385 21.54%
Democratic Kishan Putta 1,100 9.94%
Democratic John Fanning 695 6.28%
Democratic Yilin Zhang 473 4.27%
Democratic Jack Evans 376 3.40%
Democratic Daniel Hernandez 129 1.17%
Write-in 8 0.07%
Total votes 11,071 100.00%
Close

Republican primary

Candidates

More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 2 Republican primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Katherine Venice 359 84.67%
Write-in 65 15.33%
Total votes 424 100.00%
Close

Independents

  • Randy Downs, activist
  • Martín Miguel Fernandez

Endorsements

Randy Downs
Local officials
Organizations

General Election

More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 2 election[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brooke Pinto (incumbent) 20,364 68.30%
Independent Randy Downs 6,141 20.60%
Independent Martín Miguel Fernandez 2,137 7.17%
DC Statehood Green Peter Bolton 873 2.93%
Write-in 302 1.01%
Total votes 29,817 100.00%
Close

Ward 4

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 4 Election

← 2016
November 3, 2020
2024 →
 
Nominee Janeese Lewis George Perry Redd
Party Democratic DC Statehood Green
Popular vote 38,990 2,434
Percentage 91.76% 5.73%

Councilmember before election

Brandon Todd
Democratic

Elected Councilmember

Janeese Lewis George
Democratic

Close

Brandon Todd, who had served on the city council since 2015, was the first incumbent member of the council to file for reelection. Janeese Lewis George, the former assistant attorney general, announced that she would run for the Democratic nomination and focused her campaign on attacking Todd's connection with Mayor Browser.[83][84] George defeated Todd in the Democratic primary and defeated Statehood Green nominee Perry Redd in the general election.[9][5]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Endorsements

Brandon Todd
Labor unions
Local officials
Organizations
Publications
More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 4 Democratic primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janeese Lewis George 10,965 54.76%
Democratic Brandon Todd (incumbent) 8,624 43.07%
Democratic Marlena D. Edwards 411 2.05%
Write-in 24 0.12%
Total votes 19,613 100.00%
Close

Statehood Green primary

Candidates

More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 4 Statehood Green Party primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
DC Statehood Green Perry Redd 44 51.76%
Write-in 41 48.24%
Total votes 85 100.00%
Close

General election

More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 4 election[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janeese Lewis George 38,990 91.76%
DC Statehood Green Perry Redd 2,434 5.73%
Write-in 1,065 2.51%
Total votes 11,071 100.00%
Close

Ward 7

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 7 Election

← 2016
November 3, 2020
2024 →
 
Nominee Vincent Gray Write-in
Party Democratic -
Popular vote 33,392 1,955
Percentage 94.47% 5.53%

Councilmember before election

Vincent Gray
Democratic

Elected Councilmember

Vincent Gray
Democratic

Close

Incumbent Vincent Gray won in the Democratic primary and faced no opposition in the general election.[9][5]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Endorsements

Anthony Lorenzo Green
Labor unions
Organizations
More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 7 Democratic primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Vincent C. Gray (incumbent) 5,254 45.43%
Democratic Veda Rasheed 2,638 22.81%
Democratic Kelvin Brown 2,024 17.50%
Democratic Anthony Lorenzo Green 1,396 12.07%
Democratic Rebecca J. Morris 183 1.58%
Democratic James Leroy Jennings 36 0.31%
Write-in 34 0.29%
Total votes 11,565 100.00%
Close

General election

More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 7 election[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Vincent C. Gray (incumbent) 33,392 94.47%
Write-in 1,955 5.53%
Total votes 35,347 100.00%
Close

Ward 8

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 8 Election

← 2016
November 3, 2020
2024 →
 
Nominee Trayon White Fred Hill Christopher Cole
Party Democratic Independent Independent
Popular vote 25,340 4,745 1,023
Percentage 78.84% 14.76% 3.18%

Councilmember before election

Trayon White
Democratic

Elected Councilmember

Trayon White
Democratic

Close

Incumbent Trayon White won in the Democratic primary and in the general election.[9][5]

Democratic Primary

Candidates

Endorsements

Mike Austin
Organizations
Publications
Yaida Ford
Trayon White
Labor unions
Organizations
More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 8 Democratic primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Trayon White (incumbent) 5,063 58.22%
Democratic Mike Austin 2,376 27.32%
Democratic Yaida Ford 656 7.54%
Democratic Stuart Anderson 405 4.66%
Write-in 197 2.27%
Total votes 8,697 100.00%
Close

Republican Primary

Candidates

  • Nate Derenge
More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 8 Republican primary[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Nate Derenge 43 60.56%
Write-in 28 39.44%
Total votes 71 100.00%
Close

Independents

Candidates

  • Fred Hill
  • Christopher Cole

General election

More information Party, Candidate ...
2020 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 8 election[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Trayon White (incumbent) 25,340 78.84%
Independent Fred Hill 4,745 14.76%
Independent Christopher Cole 1,023 3.18%
Republican Nate Derenge 717 2.23%
Write-in 316 0.98%
Total votes 32,141 100.00%
Close

Campaign finance

This was the first city council election to have public campaign financing and during the campaign $3.4 million was given to candidates. Fifty-six candidates attempted to receive public campaign financing and thirty-six qualified for the financing. Seven candidates who received public campaign financing won their elections including George who received the most at $281,055 during the campaign.[109]

More information Candidate, Campaign committee ...
Candidate Campaign committee
Raised Spent COH L&D District
Claudia Barragán[110] $5,134.05 $4,727.23 $0.00 $0.00 At-large district
Nate Derenge[111] $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 8th district
Yaida Ford[112] $69,445.97 $79,696.95 $0.00 $55,077.45 4th district
Marcus Goodwin[113] $411,582.39 $382,690.52 $0.00 $0.00 At-large district
Calvin H. Gurley[114] $1,479.00 $1,449.89 $0.00 $0.00 At-large district
Vincent C. Gray[115] $210,406.47 $201,515.74 $0.00 $0.00 7th district
Kathy Henderson[116] $3,130.00 $1,953.37 $0.00 $0.00 At-large district
Rick Murphree[117] $103,767.65 $44,355.52 $0.00 $32,039.44 At-large district
Alex Padro[118] $50,190.00 $48,180.79 $0.00 $3,461.34 At-large district
Marya Pickering[119] $30,073.91 $30,073.91 $0.00 $0.00 At-large district
Brooke Pinto[120] $210,927.40 $197,785.97 $0.00 $25,000.00 2nd district
Perry Redd[121] $400.00 $40.00 $0.00 $0.00 4th district
Eric M. Rogers[122] $1,241.88 $2,588.88 $0.00 $0.00 At-large district
Brandon Todd[123] $499,570.99 $497,618.61 $0.00 $0.00 4th district
Robert White[124] $417,189.43 $401,057.36 $0.00 $0.00 At-large district
Close

Notes

  1. Special election on June 16, 2020
  2. Excluding special election

References

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