On November 8, 2022, a general election was held for the Council of the District of Columbia. Elections were held in four wards as well as for chairperson of the council and two at-large seats. Democrats remained in control of the council, electing six out of the seven positions that were on the ballot. Kenyan McDuffie, formerly the Democratic councilperson for Ward 5, was elected to an at-large seat as an independent.
Background The council is composed of thirteen members, each elected by district residents to a four-year term. One member is elected from each of the district's eight wards. Four at-large members represent the district as a whole. The chairman of the council is likewise elected at an at-large basis. The terms of the at-large members are staggered so that two are elected every two years, and each D.C. resident may vote for two different at-large candidates in each general election.
According to the Home Rule Act, of the chair and the at-large members, a maximum of three may be affiliated with the majority political party. In the council's electoral history, of the elected members who were not affiliated with the majority party, most were elected as at-large members. In 2008 and 2012, Democrats such as David Grosso, Elissa Silverman, and Michael A. Brown changed their party affiliation to Independent when running for council.
To become a candidate for council an individual must be resident of the District of Columbia for at least one year prior to the general election, a registered voter, and hold no other public office for which compensation beyond expenses is received. Candidates running for a ward position must be a resident of that ward.
Summary Democrats remained the largest party on the council, reelecting every incumbent running, and holding onto wards 3 and 5. Elissa Silverman (Independent, At-large) lost her seat to former Ward 5's councilman Kenyan McDuffie. The Democrats easily swept elections in all four wards, securing more than three fourths of the vote in each. They recorded their worst result in Ward 3 with 75.88% of the vote, performing the weakest in Precinct 9, where they won just 57.02% of the vote. Conversely, the Democrats earned their best performance in Ward 6, where incumbent Charles Allen won 94% of the vote against write-in candidates. DC's tiny Republican Party earned the second places in Wards 3 and 5, while the even smaller Green Party contested Ward 1.
At-large PositionIncumbentCandidatesMemberPartyFirstelectedStatusChairpersonPhil Mendelson 2012 (special)Incumbent re-elected. Phil Mendelson (Democratic) 82.0% Darryl LC Moch (D.C. Statehood Green) 9.7% Nate Derenge (Republican) 6.7%At-largeAnita Bonds 2013 (special)Incumbent re-elected. Anita Bonds (Democratic) 31.7% Kenyan McDuffie (Independent) 21.9% Elissa Silverman (Independent) 19.3% Graham McLaughlin (Independent) 10.2% Karim D. Marshall (Independent) 5.1% David Schwartzman (D.C. Statehood Green) 5.1% Giuseppe Niosi (Republican) 3.9% Fred Hill (Independent) 2.3%Elissa Silverman2014Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected.
Wards PositionIncumbentCandidatesMemberPartyFirst electedStatusWard 1Brianne Nadeau 2014Incumbent re-elected. Brianne Nadeau (Democratic) 79.9% Chris Otten (D.C. Statehood Green) 17.2%Ward 3Mary Cheh 2006Incumbent retired.New member elected.Democratic hold. Matthew Frumin (Democratic) 79.9% David Krucoff (Republican) 22.7% Adrian Salsgiver (Libertarian) 1.1%Ward 5Kenyan McDuffie 2012 (special)Incumbent retired.New member elected.Democratic hold. Zachary Parker (Democratic) 93.9% Clarence Lee Jr. (Republican) 5.4%Ward 6Charles Allen 2014Incumbent re-elected. Charles Allen (Democratic) 94.0%
Chairperson Incumbent Chairperson Phil Mendelson was re-elected for a third full term after defeating DC Statehood Green party candidate Darryl Moch and Republican candidate Nate Derenge. He was challenged in the Democratic primary by progressive Erin Palmer.
Democratic primary Candidates Phil Mendelson, incumbent Chairperson (since 2012) from Eastern Market Erin Palmer, ethics lawyer and ANC Commissioner for 4B02 from Takoma
Did not qualify for ballot Calvin H. Gurley, accountant and perennial candidate
Endorsements
Republican primary Candidates Nate Derenge, supply chain analyst, councilperson candidate in Ward 8 in 2020Barnes, Sophia; Swalec, Andrea (June 21, 2022). "DC Primary Election: Mayor, Council Races in Spotlight". WRC-TV. Giuseppe Niosi, Navy reservist
General Election
At-large Elections for two at-large seats were held in 2022. Incumbent Democratic councilwoman Anita Bonds was re-elected after being the most voted candidate, while incumbent independent Elissa Silverman was defeated by independent Kenyan McDuffie, formerly a Democrat serving as councilman for ward 5, who came in second.
The first seat may be won by anyone from any party but the second seat is reserved for someone who is not affiliated with the majority party on the council. In practice, these seats are won by candidates registered as independents for the election regardless of previous party affiliations due to the Democratic Party's dominance of city politics. Bonds was challenged by three Democrats in the June 21 primary, all of whom criticized her role as chair of the council's housing committee, but was renominated with 35% of the vote.
Democratic primary Candidates Anita Bonds, incumbent Councilperson (since 2012) from Truxton Circle Nate Fleming, Shadow Representative (2013–2015) and staffer for Councilmember Trayon White from Deanwood Lisa R. Gore, ANC commissioner for 3/4G-01 from Hawthorne Dexter Williams, research analyst for RepresentUs and former staffer for Robert White from Hillcrest
Did not qualify for ballot Sharece Crawford, at-large Committeewoman for the DC Democratic Party Leniqua'dominique Jenkins, former ANC commissioner for 7C04 and activist Ambrose Lane Jr., community activist and co-founder of Black Coalition Against Covid Bradley Thomas, attorney and ANC commissioner for 5E05 Paul Trantham
Declined Monika Nemeth, ANC Commissioner for 3F06 (ran in Ward 3)
Endorsements
Republican primary Candidates Giuseppe Urberto Niosi, contractor
Statehood Green primary No candidates appeared on the Statehood Green primary ballot, but David Schwartzman received the party's nomination through write-ins.
Independents Candidates Frederick Hill, businessman and candidate for Ward 8 in 2020 Karim D. Marshall, attorney Kenyan McDuffie, Councilmember for Ward 5 (2012–present) Graham McLaughlin, businessman Jennifer Muhammad Elissa Silverman, incumbent Councilperson (2015–present)
Endorsements
General election
Ward 1
Democratic primary Candidates Salah Czapery, former police officer from Adams Morgan Sabel Harris, ANC Commissioner for 1B12 (since 2021) from U Street Corridor Brianne Nadeau, incumbent Councilperson (since 2015) from Park View
Endorsements
General election
Ward 3 Incumbent Councilperson Mary Cheh initially signaled that she would run for reelection, but announced on February 11 that she was ending her campaign. At the time of her announcement, Cheh had only two opponents, Brown and Nemeth. Within hours, Cheh's former campaign treasurer, Matt Frumin announced his candidacy. In the following days, several more candidates announced bids for the now-open seat. Ultimately, nine candidates made the primary ballot. Receiving an endorsement from The Washington Post, Eric Goulet became the premier moderate candidate in the race and raised a significant amount of money from outside groups such as the DC Association of Realtors and Democrats for Education Reform. On June 13, spurred by massive outside spending from pro-charter school groups, Tricia Duncan withdrew her campaign and endorsed Matt Frumin. The following day, ANC Commissioner Ben Bergmann and student Henry Cohen withdrew their campaigns in support of Frumin.
Following these developments, councilmembers George, Allen, and Silverman endorsed Frumin, leading to further consolidation.
Democratic primary Candidates Deirdre Brown, former ANC Commissioner Beau Finley, ANC Commissioner for 3C04 Matt Frumin, former ANC Commissioner and at-large council candidate in 2013 Eric Goulet, former senior counsel for Councilperson Vincent C. Gray and candidate for this seat in 2006 Monte Monash, businesswoman and Chair of the DC Public Library Board of Trustees Phil Thomas, chair of Ward 3 Democrats, outreach staffer for Mayor Muriel Bowser, and former ANC Commissioner
Withdrawn Ben Bergmann, ANC Commissioner for 3D08 (endorsed Frumin) Mary Cheh, incumbent Councilperson (since 2006) (endorsed Duncan, then Frumin) Henry Cohen, student and 2021 Democracy Summer Fellow (endorsed Frumin) Tricia Duncan, Chair of Palisades Community Association (endorsed Frumin) Monika Nemeth, ANC Commissioner for 3F06
Declined Matthew Cohen, ANC Commissioner Petar Dimtchev, attorney and candidate for Ward 3 in 2018 Tracy Hadden Loh, member of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors Bill Rice, former DC Department of Transportation spokesman and candidate for this seat in 2006 Ruth Wattenberg, member of the District of Columbia State Board of Education for Ward 3 (since 2015)
Endorsements
+ Debates and forums for Ward 3 Democratic primary candidates Date Place Host Participants Participant. Invitee. Absent. Confirmed non-invitee. Out of race (exploring, suspended, or not yet entered) April 25, 2022OnlineCapital Stonewall Democrats
Republican primary Candidates David Krucoff, District of Columbia retrocession activist and independent candidate for delegate in 2020
General election
Ward 5
Incumbent Councilperson Kenyan McDuffie announced in October 2021 that he would not be seeking election to the council. Instead, he opted to run to succeed retiring Karl Racine as Attorney General. In early 2022, it was reported that Zachary Parker led his opponents in fundraising, with much of his money coming from notable DC progressives. His closest opponent, Faith Gibson Hubbard, had donors that overlapped with previous donors to the more moderate Mayor Bowser. Parker won the primary election and was chosen as the Democratic nominee. He went on to win the general election with more than 93% of the vote in the overwhelmingly Democratic ward. Democratic primary Candidates Gordon Fletcher, Ward 5 Democratic Chair and ANC Commissioner for 5A08 Kathy Henderson, ANC Commissioner Faith Gibson Hubbard, Bowser administration official Gary Johnson, education activist Art Lloyd, retired deputy U.S. Marshal Vincent Orange, At-large Councilperson (2011–2016) and Councilperson for Ward 5 (1999–2007) Zachary Parker, Member of the D.C. State Board of Education (since 2019)
Did not qualify for ballot Lauren Rogers, ANC Commissioner for 5C02 (since 2019)
Withdrawn Harry Thomas Jr., Councilperson for Ward 5 (2007-2012) (running for Shadow Representative)
Declined Kenyan McDuffie, incumbent Councilperson (since 2012)
Endorsements
+ Debates for Ward 5 Democratic primary candidates Date Place Host Participants Participant. Invitee. Absent. Confirmed non-invitee. Out of race (exploring, suspended, or not yet entered). November 10, 2021OnlineD.C. for DemocracyApril 30, 2022Union Wesley AME Zion ChurchQueen Chapel Civic Association and Union Wesley AME Zion Church
Republican primary Candidates Clarence Lee Jr.
General election
Ward 6
Incumbent Democratic councilperson Charles Allen was re-elected unopposed in the general election after winning the primary without a challenger.
Democratic primary Candidates Charles Allen, incumbent Councilperson (since 2015) Endorsements
General election
See also 2022 Washington, D.C., mayoral election 2022 District of Columbia Attorney General election
References
External links Chairperson Derenge (R) for Chairperson Mendelson (D) for Chairperson Palmer (D) for Chairperson
At-large Councilperson