WASHINGTON — District voters will be going to the polls on June 21 to nominate their party’s candidates for a slew of city offices up for grabs. In addition to the mayor, voters will select their party’s candidate for DC Council chair, five other council seats and attorney general. The city’s delegate to the U.S. Congress and shadow delegate seat will also be on the ballot.
WHEN AND WHERE TO VOTE
Poll hours are 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on the third Tuesday in June, with 90 vote centers throughout the city. To find your polling place, click here: https://www.dcboe.org/Voters/Where-to-Vote/Find-Out-Where-to-Vote
Ballot drop boxes have already opened, and all absentee mail-in ballots must be postmarked by June 21 and received at the Board of Elections by June 28 in order to be counted. Sample ballots and other voter information can be found here.
Tuesday, May 31 was the last day to change or update voter registration info (i.e. political affiliation or address), however, you can register in person at your voting center during the early voting period (early in-person voting runs from June 10-19) until the election, as long as you bring the correct documentation with you.
Note: All early voting centers will be closed on June 20 to observe Juneteenth.
For answers to other frequently asked questions, click here: https://dcboe.org/FAQS/Voter-Registration
WHAT RACES ARE DECIDED
**See candidate bios below.
- Delegate to Congress
- Mayor
- Chairperson of the D.C. Council
- D.C. Council At-Large
- D.C. Council Ward 1
- D.C. Council Ward 3
- D.C. Council Ward 5
- D.C. Council Ward 6
- Attorney General
- Shadow Representative
WHO IS ON THE BALLOT?
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives
Democratic
Vote 1
Wendy “Hope Dealer” Hamilton
Hamilton is an ordained minister. She has worked on Capitol Hill in communications, and as an adjunct professor of communications. She was also Executive Assistant to Ben Jealous, the former president and CEO of the NAACP.
Website: https://www.revwendyforcongress.com/
Eleanor Holmes Norton (incumbent)
She is running for a 16th term. Before serving in Congress, Norton was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve as the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She has also been a law professor.
Website: https://www.eleanorfordc.com/
Kelly Mikel Williams
He is the founding chapter president of Blacks in Government, a group that advocates for minority employees. He also served in former at-large councilmember Vincent Orange’s office as director of constituent services. He also calls himself a “homeless survivor.”
Website: https://kellymikelfordc.com/
Mayor
Democratic
Vote 1
James Butler
He is a lawyer and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 5. He ran unsuccessfully against Muriel Bowser in 2018 during the Democratic primary. He works on civil complaints before the EEOC and the DC Office of Human Rights.
Website: https://www.butler4dc.com/
Muriel Bowser (incumbent)
She is seeking a 3rd term. Prior to becoming Mayor in 2015, Bowser was the Ward 4 council member. She first started her political career as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in the Riggs Park neighborhood.
Website: https://mayor.dc.gov/
Trayon “Washington DC” White
He currently sits on the city council representing Ward 8, an office he has held since 2017, although he did win a special election in 2015 to fill Marion Barry’s seat after his death. This is his first time running for Mayor. His first run, and win, for political office was in 2011 when he ran to fill the vacancy on the DC Board of Education.
Website: https://www.trayonwhite8.com/
Robert White
He currently sits on the city council as an At-Large member—an office he won in 2016. This is his first time running for Mayor. He has a law degree and served as a law clerk in Maryland. He also served as legislative counsel to Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton for five years, as well as working in Attorney General Karl Racine’s office in community engagement.
Website: https://robertfordc.com/
DC Council: Chairman
Democratic
Vote 1
Erin Palmer
She is an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 4, an office she has held since 2018. She is also an ethics attorney for the federal judiciary where she specializes in workplace accountability. She is a board member of the Old Takoma Business Association.
Website: https://erinfordc.com/
Phil Mendelson (incumbent)
He has been Chairman since June 2012—that’s when the previous Chairman resigned, and Mendelson was selected by other councilmembers to fill the seat. Voters elected him in 2014, and again in 2018. He was first elected to the city council in 1998 as an At-Large member. Before serving on the council, he was a tenant activist and served as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for the McLean Gardens neighborhood.
Website: https://www.mendelsonforchairman.com/
DC Council: At-Large
Democratic
Vote 1
Lisa Gore
She is an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner representing a Chevy Chase neighborhood. She retired from federal law enforcement, most recently in the inspector general’s office in the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Website: https://www.gorefordc.com/
Nate Fleming
He is a former shadow representative, first elected to this office in 2013. He has worked for Ward 8 council member Trayon White since 2015. He attended law school in California and studied public policy at Harvard. He grew up in Ward 8, and now calls Ward 7 home.
Website: https://www.natefordc.com/
Anita Bonds (incumbent)
She is running for a third term. She has served on the council since 2012. Previously she served as the chair of the District of Columbia Democratic Party from 2006 to 2018. She served as deputy campaign manager for Marion Barry’s 1978 and 1982 bids for D.C. mayor. She also served as Barry’s special assistant for constituent services.
Website: https://www.anitabonds2022.com/
Dexter Williams
He is a former staffer for D.C. at-large councilmember Robert C, White. After leaving White’s office, Williams has worked for an organization that lobbies for electoral reforms. He has also worked at Howard University in government relations.
Website: https://www.dexter4dc.com/
DC Council: Ward 1
Democratic
Vote 1
Salah Czapary
Czapary is an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 1. He worked for the Metropolitan Police Department, assigned as a patrol officer to the 4th district sub-station at first. He ran several outreach and volunteer programs for MPD. He also led the Community Engagement Academy and the Domestic Violence Liaison Program.
Website: https://salah2022.com/
Sabel Harris
She works in marketing and serves as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 1.
Website: https://sabelforward1.com/
Brianne K. Nadeau (incumbent)
She has served on the council representing Ward 1 since 2015. She also is a former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. Previously she has worked as a public relations consultant as well as working as a scheduler for Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes.
Website: https://www.briannefordc.com/
DC Council: Ward 3
Democratic
Vote 1
**Mary Cheh is the incumbent, but she is not seeking re-election.
Tricia Duncan
She is President of the Palisades Community Association. She has lived in Palisades for 2 years. She has worked in commercial real estate and holds a degree in chemistry and worked as a researcher in new technologies. She has also served as President of the PTO at Key Elementary.
Website: https://www.triciaforward3.com/
Henry Cohen
At 18, he is a high school senior who has worked for the Adrian Fenty mayoral campaign in 2010 and the Biden presidential campaign. His father is a former ANC Commissioner.
Website: https://cohenfordc.com/
Matthew Frumin
He is an attorney who has worked in estate planning, family mediation and international trade and antitrust law. He also worked at the State Department focusing on human rights, labor and women’s rights issues. He once worked as At-Large Councilmember Robert C. White’s mayoral campaign chair and was an ANC Commissioner.
Website: https://fruminforward3.com/
Eric Goulet
He is a former staffer for councilmember Vince Gray. He has also worked as the director of the Mayor’s Budget Office; the DC Council Budget Office; and the DC Council Committee on Health. He also served as budget adviser to the attorney general.
Website: https://www.ericforward3.com/
Ben Bergmann
He is an ANC Commissioner and is director of policy at a public affairs firm, where he focuses on legislative and regulatory issues. He has practiced law in D.C. and New York, focusing on anti-corruption and antitrust cases. He has also done pro bono work related to fair housing and voting rights. He has also been a social studies and English language arts teacher.
Website: https://www.benbergmann.com/
Beau Finley
He is an ANC Commissioner, attorney and union leader. He grew up in the area attending Blessed Sacrament near Chevy Chase Circle and attended the University of Maryland.
Website: https://beaufinley.com/
Monte Monash
She is the former Chair of the DC Public Library Board of Trustees, and former treasurer of Mayor Bowser’s DC Commission for Women. She is also the founder and president of a consulting practice that provides strategic planning and public relations to engineering and construction companies.
Website: https://www.monashforward3.com/
Deirdre Brown
She has worked in the real estate and title profession for over 20 years. She is a small business owner and a former ANC Commissioner for Ward 3. She also teaches continuing education classes to Realtors. She currently serves on an affordable housing task force. Before starting her own business, Brown attended law school and represented tenants in the Landlord and Tenant Court of the Superior Court under the Law Students in Court Program.
Website: https://www.deirdrebrownforward3.com/
Phil Thomas
He is chair of the Ward 3 Democrats, a former elementary school teacher and former ANC Commissioner representing Palisades. He also served on the Executive Board of the Palisades Citizens Association and the Police 2D Citizen Advisory Council. He has also served as the Director of Mayor Bowser’s office of the Clean City—where he worked on environmental issues. Mayor Bowser also appointed him to lead COVID-19 vaccination outreach programs in the city.
Website: https://philforward3.com/
DC Council: Ward 5
Democratic
Vote 1
**Kenyon McDuffie is the incumbent, in office since 2012. He announced he was not seeking re-election in order to run for DC Attorney General; however, his name was removed from the ballot for Attorney General.
Kathy Henderson
She has served 20 years as an ANC Commissioner and worked at VISTA. She has a background in biology and serves on the Pepco Citizen Advisory Group.
Website: https://kathyhendersonfordccouncil.com/
Gordon “The People’s Champion” Fletcher
Chair of Ward 5 Democrats and ANC Commissioner. He is also an adjunct professor at American University teaching Justice and Public Policy.
Website: https://gordonforward5.com/
Art Lloyd
No available information.
Zachary Parker
He is a former teacher and education advocate, who serves on the State Board of Education representing Ward 5. In 2021 he was chosen to serve as President of the board for that year.
Website: https://www.zacharyforward5.com/
Gary Johnson
He is a former teacher and professional basketball player. He taught world and modern history and science at middle and high schools. In 2012 he founded DC Youth Empowerment—a non-profit that provides academic and socio-emotional development programs for middle and high school students in the DC area.
Website; https://www.garytotoforward5.com/
Faith Gibson Hubbard
She is a former middle school teacher and has served as President of the Ward 5 Education Council. She also led the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, as well as a member of the DC Public Library Board.
Website: https://faithforward5dc.org/
Vincent Orange
He is a former Ward 5 council member—a seat he held for 8 years (1999-2007). In 2011 he won an at-large seat on the council in a special election, but resigned from that office 5 years later. He ran again for an at-large seat on the council in 2020, but that bid for office was not successful.
Website: http://orangeward5.com/
DC Council: Ward 6
Democratic
Vote 1
Charles Allen (incumbent)
He is running unopposed. He is chair of the Council’s Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. He is also co-chair of a Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery. He also serves as chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Transportation Planning Board.
Website: https://www.charlesallenward6.com/
DC Attorney General
Democratic
Vote 1
**Karl Racine is the incumbent but he is not seeking re-election.
Brian Schwalb
He is a native Washingtonian and a longtime trial attorney and partner-in-charge of the Venable law firm’s office in the District. He has defended and prosecuted civil tax matters for the Justice Department. He has also represented cases of people injured by excessive police force, or people defrauded out of money. He also served as a law clerk in Baltimore. Website; https://brianfordc.com/
Ryan L. Jones
He grew up in Ward 4 and has represented civil, criminal and family cases in DC Superior Court, as well as Landlord-Tenant, Probate Court, DC Court of Appeals, Federal District Court, and in Federal and District administrative hearings.
Website: https://www.ryanjonesforag.com/
Bruce V. Spiva
He is the managing partner at an international law firm and has worked in consumer protection, antitrust and criminal justice reform.
Website: https://www.spivafordcag.com/meet
Shadow Representative
Democratic
Vote 1
Shadow Representatives have no voting rights in Congress. They don’t have offices in the Capitol complex. The position is unpaid and is tasked with lobbying for D.C. statehood. The position was authorized by D.C. voters in 1982.
Linda L. Gray
She is the current vice chairperson of the D.C. Democratic Party and a Ward 4 Committeewoman for the D.C. Democratic State Committee. She is a retired D.C. high school principal, and also taught biology.
Website: https://www.lindagray2022.com
Oye Owolewa (incumbent)
Owolewa is seeking a second term. He is also a pharmacist and a board member and volunteer of RESET (Raising Excitement for Science, Engineering and Technology), a coalition of STEM professionals who introduce elementary school children to science through hands-on experiences. He served as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in D.C.’s Ward 8 from 2018-2020.
Website: https://www.repoyedc.com/
Delegate to the House of Representatives
Republican
Vote 1
Nelson F. Rimensnyder
He is running unopposed for his party’s nomination. He spent 25 years working on Capitol Hill.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/NelsonForDelegate
Mayor
Republican
Vote 1
Stacia R. Hall
She is running unopposed for her party’s nomination. She is a small business owner in Ward 3, running a home décor and staging company.
Website: https://staciahall.com/
DC Council: Chairman
Republican
Vote 1
Nate Derenge
He is running unopposed for his party’s nomination. He has a background in business administration.
Website: https://nateforchair.com/
DC Council: At-Large
Republican
Vote 1
Giuseppe Niosi
He is running unopposed for this party’s nomination. He is a systems engineer and heads up a team in the East Coast Sealift Division.
Website: https://www.niosi2022.com/
DC Council: Ward 3
Republican
Vote 1
David Krucoff
He is running unopposed for his party’s nomination. He is a commercial real estate agent.
Website: https://www.davidforward3.com/meet-david
DC Council: Ward 5
Republican
Vote 1
Clarence Lee, Jr.
He is running unopposed for his party’s nomination.
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