IN THIS ISSUE:

• Primary Election Results: Analysis on DC’s recent elections
• FY27 Budget Review: Will our city ever take its medicine?
• 2027 Special Elections: Which seats are up and who will run?

DC Primary Election Results

Thank you to everyone who made their voice heard on June 16 in what was a truly historic moment for the District. We navigated our first election with Ranked Choice Voting — a ballot featuring a field of competitive races unlike anything DC has seen in decades.

While the results suggest District residents are seeking change, they also seem to value variety. In citywide and ward elections, voters favored candidates whose diverse points of view will result in policies and decision-making that are not ideologically homogeneous.

Voters Chose Change in Open Seats

In all of the open races, voters chose candidates who promised change and a more activist approach to local politics. The clear through line we see across each result is that voters want a government that works and a new direction in local politics. Here is a breakdown of the election results:

• Mayor: In the race to succeed Mayor Bowser, Janeese Lewis George heads into November’s general election with majority support from DC Democrats. Her decisive win on Election Day indicated that undecided voters broke heavily for Lewis George over Kenyan McDuffie in the campaign’s final weeks.
• Delegate to Congress: Robert White defeated fellow Democrat Brooke Pinto and is all but certain to win in November. We thank Ward 2 Councilmember Pinto for her tireless advocacy and commitment to our priorities during this campaign. We look forward to further work with her on the DC Council.
• Council Elections: Former Councilmember Elissa Silverman will reclaim her at-large seat after defeating interim Councilmember Doni Crawford and DC School Board President Jacque Patterson in the special election. Councilmember Silverman will run in a November general election for a full term. 
• Two democratic socialists are well-positioned to join the Council after June’s primary results: At-Large Democratic primary winner Oye Owolewa and Ward 1 nominee Aparna Raj.

A Note on the Board of Elections
The implementation of ranked choice voting remains a learning process. It was frustrating that the Board of Elections (BOE) did not release initial results until 10:30 PM on election night, with minimal communication to an electorate waiting for news. The DC Council seems to recognize the inefficiencies and inequities of voting in DC and is considering investments to prevent the long lines and inefficient equipment that some voters encountered on June 16th.

Reviewing DC’s FY27 Budget

On June 23rd, the DC Council voted unanimously to approve the Fiscal Year 2027 local budget. While the budget process included some notable victories for residents, we remain concerned about the District’s unrestrained spending, contracting economy, and long-term fiscal health.

Victories for Democracy and Sustainable Budgeting

• Funding Semi-Open Primaries: In a major win for election reform, the Council approved and funded the implementation of semi-open primaries. Voters overwhelmingly passed I-83 in 2024, which called for ranked choice voting and open primaries, and the Council has now fully implemented the will of the voters. Starting in 2028, the District’s 89,000 independent voters — who previously were spectators in most elections that effectively matter in DC — will finally have a vote and voice.
• Sustainable Tax Policy Prevails: We are pleased to report that Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau’s proposed wealth tax was not included in the budget. While departing Councilmember Nadeau intends to introduce it as stand-alone legislation later this fall, its exclusion from the budget represents a victory for those understand that hiking taxes during a local recession will only compound the economic challenges DC faces.

The Medicine DC Refuses to Take
Despite these wins, the $21 billion budget for FY27 – or about $30,000 per resident – again demonstrates that our elected representatives struggle to make hard decisions. The District’s economy has been contracting, yet there is a persistent drive to expand expensive programs and use reserve spending to balance structural budget gaps. The Council opted to tap $150 million in reserves to balance the upcoming year’s budget, a move the Chief Financial Officer warned could render the financial plan unbalanced and impede cash flow management. The District can only use reserves to offset structural imbalances for so long. We must align recurring revenue with recurring expenses and find ways to get more for what we’re already spending.

What’s Next: 2026 General Elections & 2027 Special Elections

Looking ahead, the political shuffle is far from over. The November general election includes another At-Large Independent Council race, School Board seats, and 350 ANC Commissioner elections.After the November general, there will be two special elections in early 2027. Two sitting councilmembers who won their races for other offices — Robert White for delegate and Janeese  Lewis George for mayor — will create Council vacancies that voters will fill, sometime between April and June. The DC Democratic State Committee will appoint a short-term replacement for Councilmember Robert White’s seat in January before a special election is held later in 2027.

As DC’s political landscape shifts, Opportunity DC’s mission remains unchanged: we will continue to partner with pragmatic leaders to make government work, support our entrepreneurs, and ensure the District of Columbia is an affordable place for everyone.We will share a deeper analysis of the election results once the DC Board of Elections updates the voter file. 
Sincerely,

Malcom Fox
Executive Director
Opportunity DC