The 2018 Council of the District of Columbia election was held on November 6, 2018, with primary elections held on June 19th. Elections were held in four of the wards, two at-large seats and for the Chair of the Council of the District of Columbia. Prior to the election, 11 seats were held by Democrats and 2 seats were held by Independents. The general election saw no party flip any seats, thereby meaning that Democrats retained their majority on the council.
Chairperson
Incumbent Phil Mendelson secured reelection. In the primary, Mendelson was challenged from the left by Ed Lazere, the longtime director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute.
Democratic primary Candidates Ed Lazere, think tank executive and progressive activist Phil Mendelson, incumbent chairman (2012–present)
Disqualified Calvin Gurley, accountant and perennial candidate
Endorsements
Debates + Debates and forums for Chairperson Democratic primary candidates Date Place Host Participants Participant. Invitee. Absent. Confirmed non-invitee. Out of race (exploring, suspended, or not yet entered) 6 February 2018Whittemore HouseWoman's National Democratic Club5 June 2018Thurgood Marshall CenterCoalition for DC Public Schools and Communities
Libertarian primary Candidates Ethan Bishop-Henchman, business consultant
General election
At-large
Incumbents Anita Bonds and Elissa Silverman successfully secured reelection. In the Democratic primary, Bonds received two challenges from Jeremiah Lowery and Marcus Goodwin, respectively. Although Silverman, an independent, does not run in a primary, pundits viewed Dionne Reeder's candidacy as a challenge to the progressive incumbent. Business groups initially backed S. Kathryn Allen, a real estate attorney, to challenge Silverman, before she was nixed from the ballot by the District of Columbia Board of Elections. These groups, along with incumbent mayor Muriel Bowser, transferred their support to Reeder. In November, Silverman dislodged the challenge from the moderate Reeder.
Democratic primary Candidates Anita Bonds, incumbent at-large councilmember (2012–present) Marcus Goodwin, real estate developer Jeremiah Lowery, activist and organizer
Disqualified Aaron Holmes, communications professional and candidate for Ward 8 councilmember in 2016
Endorsements
Debates + Debates and forums for At-large Democratic primary candidates Date Place Host Participants Participant. Invitee. Absent. Confirmed non-invitee. Out of race (exploring, suspended, or not yet entered) 6 February 2018Whittemore HouseWoman's National Democratic Club4 June 2018St. Columba's Episcopal ChurchWard 3 Democrats5 June 2018Thurgood Marshall CenterCoalition for DC Public Schools and Communities
Independents Candidates Elissa Silverman, incumbent at-large councilmember (2015–present) Rustin Lewis, non-profit executive and educator Dionne Reeder, restauranteur
Disqualified S. Kathryn Allen, real estate attorney
Declined Yvette Alexander, former member of the Council of the District of Columbia from Ward 7 (2007-2015)
Endorsements
General election
Ward 1
Incumbent Brianne Nadeau secured a second term on the Council. In 2014, Nadeau had unseated longtime councilmember Jim Graham, riding a flurry of corruption scandals that tarnished Graham's reputation. In her bid for reelection, Nadeau, a progressive, faced librarian and ANC commissioner Kent Boese, real estate consultant Sheika Reid, and former magistrate judge Lori Parker in the Democratic primary. In the general election, she defeated independent Jamie Sycamore, an ASL interpreter who raised concerns about Nadeau's constituent services operation in comparison to that of Jim Graham.
Democratic primary Candidates Kent Boese, chair of ANC 1A Brianne Nadeau, incumbent councilmember (2015–present) Lori Parker, former Superior Court of the District of Columbia magistrate judge Sheika Reid, Sotheby's real estate consultant and urban planner
Endorsements
Independents Candidates Jamie Sycamore, sign language interpreter
Withdrawn Greg Boyd, former DCPS teacher
General election
Ward 3
Incumbent Mary Cheh sought a fourth term representing Ward 3, the council distract that primarily covers the upper half of the Northwest quadrant. Cheh was unopposed in the Democratic primary and faced attorney and former mayoral aide Petar Dimtchev in the general election.
Democratic primary Candidates Mary Cheh, incumbent councilmember (2007–present)
Endorsements
Independents Candidates Petar Dimtchev, Social Security Administration attorney and former mayoral aide to Adrian Fenty
Endorsements
General election Debates + Debates and forums for Ward 3 candidates Date Place Host Participants Participant. Invitee. Absent. Confirmed non-invitee. Out of race (exploring, suspended, or not yet entered) 2 October 2018Palisades Neighborhood LibraryPalisades Citizens Association25 October 2018Cleveland Park Neighborhood LibraryCleveland Park Citizens Association
Ward 5
Kenyan McDuffie sought a second full term representing Ward 5. McDuffie, fresh off a failed recall effort that never reached the ballot, bested five fellow Democrats in the primary. McDuffie secured a second term in the November general election.
Democratic primary Candidates Gayle Hall Carley, ANC commissioner from 5B02 Nestor Djonkam, businessman and perennial candidate LaMonica Jeffrey, community activist Kenyan McDuffie, incumbent councilmember (2012–present) Bradley Thomas, chair of ANC 5E
Endorsements
Independents Candidates Amone Banks, federal employee Kathy Henderson, ANC commissioner from 5D06
DC Statehood Green primary Candidates Joyce Robinson-Paul, community activist
General election
Ward 6
Charles Allen sought a second full term representing Ward 6. Allen faced a primary challenge from Democrat Lisa Hunter, and won handily following a relatively vitriolic campaign. Allen secured a second term in the November general election.
Democratic primary Candidates Charles Allen, incumbent councilmember (2015–present) Lisa Hunter, former United States Department of Health and Human Services official
Endorsements
Debates + Debates and forums for Ward 6 Democratic primary candidates Date Place Host Participants Participant. Invitee. Absent. Confirmed non-invitee. Out of race (exploring, suspended, or not yet entered) 30 April 2018Hill CenterHill Rag5 June 2018Westminster Presbyterian Church SWHill Rag
Republican primary Candidates Michael Bekesha, Judicial Watch attorney
General election
Notes
References