The 2004 Council of the District of Columbia election was held on November 2, with primaries taking place on September 14. Half of the councilmembers up for re-election were defeated in their primaries, specifically At-large Councilmember Harold Brazil, Ward 7 Councilmember Kevin Chavous, and Ward 8 Councilmember Sandy Allen.
Former Mayor Marion Barry returned to the Council again following his decision to not run for a fifth mayoral term in 1998.
Summary Democrats retained their 11 seats and remained the largest party on the Council, with no seats being lost to other parties or independents. Republicans kept their single seat following David Catania's decision to leave the party and become an independent in the summer of 2004.
At-large PositionIncumbentCandidatesMemberPartyFirstelectedStatusAt-large Harold Brazil 1996Incumbent lost re-electionNew member elected.Democratic hold. Kwame Brown 55.4% Carol Schwartz 30.9% Laurent Ross 7.7% Tony Dominguez 5.4%Carol Schwartz 1996 Incumbent re-elected.
Wards PositionIncumbentCandidatesMemberPartyFirst electedStatus Ward 2Jack Evans 1991 (special)Incumbent re-elected. Jack Evans 82.4% Jesse James Price Sr. 9,2% Jay Houston Marx 8.0% Ward 4 Adrian Fenty 2000 Incumbent re-elected. Adrian Fenty 98.9% Ward 7Kevin P. Chavous 1992Incumbent lost re-electionNew member elected.Democratic hold. Vincent Gray 91.5% Michele Tingling-Clemmons 4.5% Jerod Tolson 1.9% Ward 8 Sandy Allen 1995 (special)Incumbent lost re-electionNew member elected.Democratic hold. Marion Barry 94.9% Cardell Shelton 4.2%
At-large
Incumbent Democratic Councilmember Harold Brazil lost his primary to challenger Kwame Brown, while incumbent Republican Carol Schwartz won re-election to her third full term.
Democratic primary Candidates Harold Brazil, incumbent At-large Councilmember Sam Brooks, political campaign staffer Kwame Brown, business executive
Endorsements
Republican primary Candidates Don Folden Sr., Metrobus operator Robert Pittman, community activist Carol Schwartz, incumbent At-large Councilmember
Endorsements
Statehood Green primary Candidates Laurent Ross, community activist
Independents Candidates Tony Dominguez, DC government employee
General election
Ward 2
Incumbent councilmember Jack Evans won re-election to his fourth full term on the Council.
Democratic primary Candidates Jack Evans, incumbent Ward 2 Councilmember
Endorsements
Republican primary No candidates filed for the primary, with Jesse James Price Sr. winning the nomination through write-in votes.
Statehood Green primary Candidates Jay Houston Marx, administrative consultant
General election
Ward 4
No opponents filed at any level for the Ward 4 seat, with the election being merely a formality to future mayor Adrian Fenty's bid for a second term.
Democratic primary Candidates Adrian Fenty, incumbent Ward 4 Councilmember
Endorsements
General Election
Ward 7
Incumbent Councilmember Kevin Chavous lost his primary election to challenger and future mayor Vincent Gray, who won overwhelmingly in the general election.
Democratic primary Candidates Kevin P. Chavous, incumbent Ward 7 Councilmember Donna E. Daniels Mia Hairston-Hamilton Mary D. Jackson, United States Senate archivist James Johnson Jr. Vincent Gray, president of Ward 7 Democrats
Endorsements
Republican primary Candidates Jerod Tolson, business owner
Statehood Green primary Candidates Michele Tingling-Clemmons, administrative consultant
General Election
Ward 8
Former mayor Marion Barry returned to District government as the Ward 8 Councilmember, roundly beating incumbent Sandy Allen in the Democratic primary and cruising to victory in the general election. Allen had been endorsed by the entire Council except for Vincent Orange along with multiple former Councilmembers.
Democratic primary Candidates Sandy Allen, incumbent Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry, former Mayor and Councilmember William O. Lockridge, Ward 8 member of the District of Columbia Board of Education Jacque D. Patterson, Advisory Neighborhood Commission Joyce Scott, apartment building superintendent Sandra Seegars, former DC Taxicab commissioner Frank Sewell
Endorsements
Republican primary Candidates Cardell Shelton, building inspector
General Election
References