Quick Guide to DC Politics

#1 Does my vote matter in DC?

YES! Too many people move to DC but keep their voter registration in another state so they can vote in a swing state during Presidential elections. Don’t be Jared Kushner. Make sure that your voter registration is up-to-date and accurate. 

Local elections have more impact on our day-to-day lives than the Presidential election. Fun Fact: The 13 members of the DC Council have almost as much power as the Mayor. Together, they can can pass laws to regulate how much your salary goes to taxes, the amount of Metro money that your company gives you, and whether certain plants should be legalized in DC.

#2 Which party should I register for?

DC has closed primaries which means that registered party members can vote in their own party’s primary. DC is a blue town so this means that the winner, usually a Democrat, is whoever wins the party ticket during primary elections. 

HEADS UP! Primary elections are on Tuesday, June 19th, 2018. Eligible voters not registered in the District of Columbia can register and declare their party affiliation during early voting or on election day.

#3 What is a Ward?

Wards are how the DC government divides up the District. DC has eight wards, each with approximately 75,000 residents. Each Ward elects their own Councilmember. Fun Fact: Your ward number is the same as your parking zone!

#4 What is an ANC?

ANC stands for Advisory Neighborhood Commissions. There are 37 ANCs in DC. An ANC is a non-partisan, neighborhood body made up of locally elected representatives called Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. This is a unique feature to DC.

ANC Commissioners are your government representative at the most micro level of local government. Commissioners serve two-year terms and receive no salary. Each Commissioner represents approximately 2,000 residents.

#5 Who represents me?

As a resident of DC, you are represented by the following government officials. Salaries are included to urge you to use your local government representative as a resource—your tax dollars are already paying for them. As someone who is passionate about community activism, I know for a fact that they would be delighted to hear from you…and help with your problem!

Listed by # of residents represented, from lowest to highest:

• ANC Commissioner: 296 positions, unpaid
• ANC Chair: 41 positions, unpaid
• DC Councilmember: 8 positions, $134,852/year
• DC Councilmember, At-large: 4 positions, $137,144/year
• DC Council Chairman: 1 position, $190,000/year
• Mayor: 1 position, $200,000/year
• Congressman, non-voting: 1 position, $174,000/year