Calvin H. Gurley is an accountant and perennial candidateSommer, Will. "Meet the Many, Many D.C. Council At-Large Candidates". Washington City Paper. September 3, 2014.Sommer, Will. "With Election Looming, Pitts Leads At-Large Race in Cash Reserves". Washington City Paper. October 15, 2014. living in Washington, D.C.
Early years Gurley was raised in Washington, D.C.DuPree, David. "All-Met Leads Thorobreds". The Washington Post. November 2, 1972. p. D3. Gurley attended Eastern High School, where he played defensive back on the football team. Gurley graduated from Bowie State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. Gurley also took graduate classes in finance at the University of the District of Columbia.
From March 1985 to September 1985, Gurley worked as a tax auditor for the District of Columbia Department of Finance and Revenue.Evans, Sandra. "Anacostia Resident Announces Candidacy for District Mayor".The Washington Post. April 6, 1986. p. B5.
Political campaigns 1986 campaign for Mayor Gurley announced his candidacy for mayor of the District of Columbia in 1986.Evans, Sandra. "Wilson Says He Probably Will Not Run for Mayor". The Washington Post. April 9, 1986. p. B1. Unemployed and living in Anacostia, Gurley ran as a Democratic candidate, challenging Marion Barry's reelection. Gurley said he was running for office so that a lifelong District resident would be in charge of the District's government. Gurley advocated for improvements to the District's prison system and housing department, and he said that Mayor Barry's leadership was "decaying".
The District of Columbia Office of Business and Economic Development opened a neighborhood revitalization office in Anacostia, in order to give low-interest loans to small businesses for upgrades to the business' outside appearance.Jackson, Kirk. "Third Neighborhood Revitalization Office Opens". Washington Informer. May 21, 1986. p. 7. Gurley described the office as "a solution in search of a problem". Gurley said that businesses in Anacostia needed "money" and "technical assistance" rather than a governmental agency that did little more than "filling office space".
During a scheduled debate among the mayoral candidates, Gurley called for the death penalty for drug addicts who contribute to drug overdoses of other people.Brisbane, Arthur S. "Barry, Challengers Clash on issues at Forum". The Washington Post. July 24, 1986. p. C5. The audience loudly booed him for his statement. Gurley later corrected himself, saying he meant to say he supported the death penalty for drug dealers who contribute to drug overdoses.
Gurley said that drug dealers should not be eligible for bail or parole.Brisbane, Arthur S. "D.C. Mayoral Campaign Not a Single-Issue Race: Candidates Cite Drugs, Crime, Housing and Jobs". The Washington Post. September 3, 1986. p. C7. Gurley said he would decrease the crime rate by increasing funding for job training.
At a candidates forum in Ward 8, Gurley showed a slide show of boarded-up houses, blaming Mayor Barry for their condition.Brisbane, Arthur S. "Foes Challenge Barry's Record On Housing and Rent Control". The Washington Post. July 30, 1986. p. B7. At another campaign stop, Gurley said that vacant houses should be renovated more quickly and that new housing developments should have more homes available for low- and middle-income residents.
Gurley repeated his campaign theme of "anybody but Barry".Brisbane, Arthur S. "Challengers Accuse Barry of Mismanagement: Mayor Defends Record, Says He Has Decreased Crime, Improved Employment". The Washington Post. August 20, 1986. p. C3. Gurley criticized Barry for sending his son to a private school. Gurley noted that public schooling was suitable for President Jimmy Carter's daughter but not for Barry's son. Gurley suggested that Barry would increase funding for public schools if his own son were attending them. Gurley said he would voluntarily take a drug test and challenged Barry to do the same.
Gurley said the most serious problem facing the District was that federal authorities had taken control of certain functions of the government of the District of Columbia due to mismanagement, resulting in what Gurley called "the loss of home rule"."District of Columbia Voters' Guide". The Washington Post. September 4, 1986. p. VG2. Gurley said that the District had not improved at all during the previous four years, with the exception of downtown.
At a meeting of the District of Columbia Ward 6 Democrats, the group decided to endorse Barry for reelection.Brisbane, Arthur S. "Barry Wins Endorsement: Foes Decry 'Staged Event' in D.C. Ward 6". The Washington Post. August 6, 1986. p. B7. In the straw vote, Barry received 74 percent, candidate Mattie Taylor received 16 percent, and Gurley received 9 percent. Gurley's campaign chairman, Doug McLellan, called the event a "staged event" and accused Barry's campaign of packing the meeting with his supporters. The president of the group said the straw vote was legitimate because it was publicized widely and that Gurley lost the straw vote because his campaign did not have much visibility around the ward. At meeting of the Ward 4 Democrats, the results of the straw vote were 95 percent for Barry, 4 percent for Taylor, and 1 percent for Gurley.
Barry won the primary election with 71 percent of the vote.Brisbane, Arthur S. "Barry Gains Landslide In District: Clarke, Nathanson Win, Spaulding Loses In Voting for Council". The Washington Post. September 10, 1986. p. A1. Taylor received 20 percent, Gurley received 6 percent, and 4 percent of voters wrote in another name.
1990 campaign for Mayor In February 1990, Gurley announced he would run for mayor again.York, Michael. "Barry Perjury Charge To Be Sought Today: Two Key Supporters Turn to Fauntroy". The Washington Post. February 15, 1990. p. A1.
At a debate held in March, Gurley advocated for a publicly funded military school for youths in order to prevent drug use.Melton, R. H. "Democratic Hopefuls Debate Without Barry". The Washington Post. March 22, 1990. p. D1. In Gurley's words, the District should "grab these kids off the street from mothers who don't care" and enroll them at the military academy.
In May, Gurley was interviewed about his mayoral campaign on WHUT's "Evening Exchange".Carmody, John. "The TV Column". The Washington Post. May 15, 1990. p. C6.
In August, Gurley dropped out of the race in order to run for the Ward 6 seat on the Council of the District of Columbia.Abramowitz, Michael. "Candidates Play Beat the Clock: D.C. Board of Elections Gets Crush of Petitions Near Deadline". July 6, 1990. p. D3.
1990 campaign for Council, Ward 6 At the time of Gurley's candidacy to represent Ward 6 on the Council of the District of Columbia, Gurley was working as a financial accountant for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation."Voter's Guide: Ward 6". The Washington Post. September 6, 1990. p. H5.
Gurley continued to support the establishment of a public military school for youth in the District. Gurley wanted police officers to walk the streets in order to stop individuals from loitering. Gurley wanted to make sure taxis would serve the neighborhood of Anacostia so that people doing neighborhood patrols could teach children instead. Gurley wanted the District to use property confiscated in drug arrests to be used to fund drug education and prevention, additional pay for police officers, and youth-recreation projects.
Harold Brazil won with 43 percent of the vote, unseating incumbent Nadine P. Winter.Sanchez, Rene. "Winter Loses Ward 6 Seat: Wilson, Cropp Triumph". The Washington Post. September 12, 1990. p. A21. Gurley received 3 percent of the vote.
2004 proposed ballot initiative In 2004, Gurley proposed a ballot initiative called "Mr. Bill Cosby's Age 18 House Rule".Silverman, Elissa. "Don't Call It a Comeback...Yet". Washington City Paper. June 4, 2004.
If approved by voters, all child-support payments would end when they became 18 years old, rather than 21 years old as District law stated.
At the time, Gurley paid child support for two of his children, a 9-year-old daughter and a nearly 18-year-old son.
Gurley explained the ballot initiative, saying that "black families still carry as their commandment, is once you reach 18, you're out the house."
Gurley did not submit sufficient valid signatures to the District of Columbia Board of Elections, and the proposed ballot initiative did not appear on the ballot.
2004 campaign for Democratic State Committee, Ward 4 Gurley ran to represent Ward 4 on the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee in 2004."September 14, 2004 - Primary Election Specimen Ballot". District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics. 2004.
Paul R. McKenzie won the seat with 42 percent of the vote."Certified Summary Report: September 14, 2004 Election ". District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics. September 27, 2004. Gurley came in fourth place with 13 percent.
2010 campaign for Mayor Gurley ran for mayor in 2010.DeBonis, Mike. "Where did Calvin H. Gurley find 57,119 votes? The Washington Post. November 7, 2012. Gurley did have enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot, so he decided to run as a write-in candidate instead.
Vincent Gray won the Democratic Party primary election for mayor with 54 percent of the vote."Election Results, Primary Election 2010, DC Mayor". District of Columbia Board of Elections. September 14, 2010. Retrieved on August 27, 2011. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Write-in candidates received 0.19 percent of the vote; some of these were for Gurley.
2011 campaign for Council, At-large Vote by Democratic State Committee When at-large Council member Kwame R. Brown was sworn into office as chair of the Council of the District of Columbia in 2011, the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee announced an election by its members to replace Brown as interim at-large member of the council until a special election could occur.Craig, Tim; DeBonis, Mike. "D.C. Democrats to pick interim at-large council member". The Washington Post. January 4, 2011. Gurley, Sekou Biddle, former Council member Vincent Orange, and several others filed to run.Wright, James. "Eight File with Democrats to Replace Kwame Brown". Washington Informer. December 15, 2010.
At a debate before the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee, Gurley said that when companies hire people who live outside the District, it is like "genocide".Orvetti, P.J. "DMV Daily: Lanier Stays". WRC. December 17, 2010.
Kwame Brown endorsed Biddle for the position, as did Council members Harry Thomas Jr., Mary Cheh, Muriel Bowser, Yvette Alexander, and Marion Barry. District mayor Vincent Gray said he supported Brown's endorsement of Biddle.
On January 6, 2011, the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee voted to select Biddle as the interim at-large member of the council.Craig, Tim. "D.C. Democrats secretly select Biddle". The Washington Post. January 7, 2011. Vote tallies were not publicly reported.
Special election After the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee voted to select Sekou Biddle as the interim at-large member of the council, a special election was announced, to be held on April 26, 2011.Craig, Tim. "11 enter at-large D.C. Council race". The Washington Post. February 18, 2011. p. B5.
Gurley, Sekou Biddle, Vincent Orange, Patrick Mara, and several others filed to run."Johnson, Reginald. "You want to be a council member too?" Washington Examiner. February 19, 2011.
Gurley did not appear on the ballot because he did not submit enough valid signatures to the District of Columbia Board of Elections.Suderman, Alan. "Loose Lips Daily: Kwame Keep Digging Edition". Washington City Paper. February 22, 2011.
2012 campaign for Council, Ward 4