The day after the General Election has dawned. While some awoke to what felt like a repeat of recent history, locally at least the results carried few surprises.
The totals are still updating. As of 11:28 a.m. Wednesday, more than 285,000 votes had been counted —61 percent of ed voters. The DC Board of Elections (DC BOE) will continue to count mail-in ballots posted by Nov. 5 and received by Nov. 15.
Initiative 83 Approved
More than 72 percent of voters voted for Initiative 83 (I-83), the ballot initiative creating semi-open primary elections and rank choice voting. “DC voters have spoken and approved Initiative 83!” Proposer Lisa D. T. Rice said in a press release thanking voters. “The YES on 83 Campaign thanks the DC Board of Elections for their hard work istering this election, and we look forward to implementing both reforms beginning in 2026.”
In order to take effect, however, the initiative must be funded by DC Council —an obligation that was not written into the measure itself. There are still legal challenges in front of the DC Court of Appeals. Both DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) and Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) have expressed doubts about I-83. These challenges could set implementation back beyond 2026.
City Races
Despite federal allegations of bribery, incumbent Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. (D) captured 76 percent of the vote. This is just three percent down from his showing in 2020 but more than 7,000 fewer votes.
White’s only challenger, Republican Nate Derenge, captured nearly 15 percent of the vote, compared to his 2.2 percent showing in 2020. This is perhaps more evidence of the discontent with White in the ward than evidence of a turn to the Republican Party on the east side of the river.
White is under investigation by both federal agencies and a DC Council special committee, which could decide to chasten or expel him. A report is expected in December. If council decides to do the latter, it would trigger a special election in which White could potentially run again.
Ward 7 will be represented by Democrat Wendell Felder, who emerged victorious from the field in the primary.
Voters returned incumbents in most contests. The two at-large seats on DC Council will return to the incumbents, At-Large Council Democrat Robert White, Jr. (D) and Christina D. Henderson (I), who won 62 and 23 percent of the vote respectively. Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D) and Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D) were both relected.
Ignoring the endorsements secured by her challenger, voters conclusively returned incumbent Ward 7 Representative to the State Board of Education (SBOE) Eboni-Rose Thompson to her seat with 71 percent of the vote. LaJoy Johnson-Law will represent Ward 8 on SBOE. Unchallenged in the General Election was Jacque Patterson, who will return to the at-large seat. In a far closer contest, T. Michelle Colson holds a 3,000 vote lead for the Ward 4 seat over incumbent Frazier L. O’Leary, Jr.
Federal
Secure in their seats are Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who will take office for her 17th term in January. Democrat nominee for US Senator Ankit Jain won nearly 90 percent o the vote, and US Representative One Owolewa (D) was re-elected with a slightly larger share.
ANC Races
There were a few contests for seats on Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) on the Hill and adjacent neighborhoods. In ANC 6B06, Anna Krebs appears to have a conclusive victory, bringing in more than 66 percent of votes counted so far.
The three-way race in Navy Yard SMD 6/8F02 could be too close to call this early. With 1300 or so votes counted, Elissa De Sousa and Markita Bryant are still neck in neck, with De Souza ahead by a mere 12 votes.
The five-way race in 7F08 is not so close; Shameka “Meek” Hayes has 36 percent of the vote, an 11 point lead over her next closest competitor, Aaron Dequan Brown. Still, these are slim margins and there is a slight possibility that race could change once all votes are counted. Meanwhile, Shirley Thompson-Wright appears to have comfortably secured re-election with 66 percent of the vote in 7F07.
Interestingly, what looks like a contest in ANC 7D01 is not. But, the outcome is not clear either. Charles Boston withdrew from the ANC 7D01 race prior to the election in order to run for Ward 7 SBOE. He lost that race to Eboni-Rose Thompson. But Boston’s withdrawal came too late to take his name off the ANC ballot. As a result, although as of Wednesday morning he had garnered 316 votes — 7 percent more than competitor Josh Taborn— Boston will not be declared the winner.
According to DC BOE, if Boston remains ahead in the count, there will be no winner. In that case, Taborn –or any other candidate– could run for the office in January during an election held by the ANC together with the Office of ANCs.
Several write-in races await announcements from DC BOE, which does not post the names of candidates individually. Notable are the races in 6/8F05. DCBOE said that votes were still being counted. Whatever the results, those candidates must file an affirmation of write-in candidacy within seven days of the election and prove that they are eligible to hold the office.
Write-in contests are reviewed once all mail ballot deadlines are met, so most likely results will be released when the results are certified, which is tentatively scheduled for the next Board Meeting on Dec. 2. Once results are available they will be posted on the DCBOE 2024 General Election Results page.
See updating results of the election in DC by visiting dcboe.org
