The 2026 Council of the District of Columbia election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect seven members to the Council of the District of Columbia. Primary elections will take place on June 16. This will be the first council election to use ranked-choice voting following the implementation of Initiative 83.
Special elections 2025 Ward 8 special election
A special election was held in Ward 8 on July 15, 2025 to fill the term of councilmember Trayon White, after he was expelled from the council in February 2025. White was re-elected with 27.7% of the vote.
2026 at-large special election
A special election was held on June 16, 2026 to fill the term of councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, after he resigned on January 5, 2026, to run for mayor. Former at-large councilmember Elissa Silverman won the election with 55.32% of the vote.
Summary PositionIncumbentCertified candidates ▌Democratic ▌Statehood–Green
▌Independent ▌RepublicanMemberPartyFirstelectedStatusChairpersonPhil Mendelson 2012 (special)Incumbent renominated. Phil Mendelson Abi-Ananiah Prudent At-Large Anita Bonds 2012 (special) Incumbent retiring. Darrell Green Darryl Moch Oye Owolewa Elissa Silverman Elissa SilvermanIndependent 20142022 (lost)2026 (special) Incumbent running. Ward 1 Brianne Nadeau 2014 Incumbent retiring. Jude Crannitch Jett James Jasper Ryan Prince Aparna Raj Ward 3 Matt Frumin 2022 Incumbent renominated. Matt Frumin Ward 5 Zachary Parker 2022 Incumbent renominated. Jeffrey Kihien-Palza Zachary Parker Joyce Robinson-Paul Ward 6 Charles Allen 2014 Incumbent renominated. Charles Allen Jorge Rice
Chairperson
Incumbent Democratic chairperson Phil Mendelson was re-elected to a third term with 83.4% of the vote in 2022. Mendelson is running for a fifth term in 2026.
Democratic primary Candidates Phil Mendelson, incumbent chairperson (2012–present) Patricia Stamper, former ANC member for district 7C (write-in) Withdrawn Jack Evans, former councilmember from Ward 2 (1991–2020) Declined Christina Henderson, at-large councilmember (2021–present)
Endorsements
Republican primary Candidates Abi-Ananiah Prudent
Statehood Green primary
At-large
Two at-large seats are up for election; the incumbents are Democrat Anita Bonds and independent Elissa Silverman. Bonds is not running for re-election and Silverman — who won a special election to fill a remaining term of councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, is running for re-election. Only one at-large member can be a member of the majority party.
Democratic primary Candidates Kevin Chavous, staffer to Bonds and son of former councilmember Kevin P. Chavous Dwight Davis, former DCPS principal Dyana Forester, labor relations advisor to Maryland Governor Wes Moore and former president of the Metro-Washington AFL-CIO Fred Hill, former Chairman of the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment Gregory Jackson, former deputy director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and special assistant to President Joe Biden Leniqua’dominique Jenkins, former council staffer Candace Tiana Nelson, former chief of staff to councilmember Janeese Lewis George Lisa Raymond, former president of the District of Columbia State Board of Education Oye Owolewa, shadow congressperson from the District of Columbia's at-large congressional district (2021–present)
Withdrawn Nate Fleming, former shadow congressperson, staffer for councilmember Trayon White, and candidate for the at-large council seat in 2022 and the Ward 7 seat in 2024 Council of the District of Columbia election Eric Goulet, member of the District of Columbia State Board of Education from Ward 3 Patricia Stamper, former ANC 7C member (running for council chair)
Declined Anita Bonds, incumbent councilmember
Endorsements
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of January 31, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handOye Owolewa (D)$428,799$215,609$213,190Candace Tiana Nelson (D)$161,518$104,631$56,887Kevin Chavous (D)$172,055$61,815$110,240Lisa Raymond (D)$242,237$67,748$174,489Dyana Forester (D)$113,154$27,119$86,035Leniqua’dominique Jenkins (D)$15,633$0.00$15,633Greg Jackson (D)$194,588$48,863$147,725Dwight Davis (D)$21,917$21,772$145Fred Hill (D)$42,801$21,081$21,720Source: District of Columbia Office of Campaign Finance
Debate + 2026 Council of the District of Columbia at-large seat Democratic primary debate Date Host Moderator Link Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic DemocraticKey: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn Kevin Chavous Dwight Davis Dyana Forester Fred Hill Gregory Jackson Leniqua’dominique Jenkins Candace Nelson Oye Owolewa Lisa Raymond1 Apr. 28, 2026 District of Columbia Board of Elections Michael Brice-Saddler YouTube +2026 Council of the District of Columbia At-Large Democratic primary resultsPartyCandidateRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7Round 8Votes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%DemocraticOye Owolewa44,83634.56 + 6244,89834.67 + 84245,71035.49 + 1,54147,25136.90 + 1,10848,35938.29 + 1,56849,92740.17 + 4,37054,29744.70 + 4,89259,18950.93DemocraticLisa Raymond20,29215.64 + 3420,32615.70 + 23120,55715.96 + 59721,15416.52 + 1,54722,70117.97 + 1,20923,91019.24 + 3,06026,97022.20+ 5,31432,28427.78DemocraticKevin Chavous16,97313.08 + 2216,99513.12 + 21917,21413.36 + 53817,75213.86 + 90818,66014.77 + 1,14619,80615.93 + 1,66221,46817.67 + 3,28224,75021.30DemocraticGregory Jackson14,17410.92 + 4014,21410.98 + 22714,44111.21 + 50314,94411.67 + 86515,80912.52 + 1,20717,01613.69 + 1,70918,72515.42 - 18,725EliminatedDemocraticCandace Tiana Nelson9,9007.63 + 219,9217.66 + 76310,6848.29 + 81411,4988.98 + 39911,8979.42 + 1,74113,63810.97 - 13,638EliminatedDemocraticDwight Davis7,7455.97 + 127,7575.99 + 2107,9676.19 + 4298,3966.56 + 4788,8747.03 - 8,874EliminatedDemocraticFred Hill6,7935.24 + 116,8045.25 + 1226,9265.38 + 1387,0645.52 - 7,064EliminatedDemocraticDyana Forester4,9763.84 + 144,9903.85 + 3125,3024.12 - 5,302EliminatedDemocraticLeniqua’dominique Jenkins3,5852.76 + 33,5882.77 - 3,588EliminatedWrite-in4740.37 - 474Eliminated Continuing ballots142,408100.00142,15399.82141,46199.34140,71998.81122,92397.58119,59296.17134,12094.18128,88390.50 Exhausted ballots – + 255 2550.18 + 692 9470.66 + 742 1,6891.19 + 1,759 3,4482.42+ 2,0035,4513.83 + 2,8378,2885.82 + 5,23713,5259.50 Total votes142,408100.00142,408100.00142,408100.00142,408100.00142,408100.00142,408100.00142,408100.00142,408100.00
Republican primary Candidates Darrell Green
Statehood Green primary Candidates Darryl Moch
Independents Candidates Elissa Silverman, incumbent at-large councilmember (2026–present; 2015–2023)
Ward 1
Incumbent Democrat Brianne Nadeau was re-elected to a third term in 2022 with 79.9% of the vote in the general election but only 48.5% of the vote in the 2022 Democratic primary election. She is not running for re-election.
Democratic primary Candidates Rashida Brown, ANC member for district 1E Miguel Trindade Deramo, ANC member for district 1B Terry Lynch, community activist Aparna Raj, tenant organizer and former chair of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America Jackie Reyes-Yanes, former director of the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs
Withdrawn Brian Footer, ANC member for district 1E
Declined Ed Lazere, former director of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute and candidate for council chair in 2018 Brianne Nadeau, incumbent councilmember (endorsed Brown)
Endorsements
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of March 10, 2026CandidateRaised (revenue)Spent (expenditures)Cash on handAparna Raj (D)$306,474$87,343$219,131Terry Lynch (D)$61,462$57,152$4,310Rashida Brown (D)$127,801$34,121$95,679Jackie Reyes-Yanes (D)$130,906$16,833$114,298Miguel Trinidade Deramo (D)$84,308$28,221$56,087Source: District of Columbia Office of Campaign Finance
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error RashidaBrown Miguel Trindade Deramo TerryLynch AparnaRaj JackieReyes-Yanes UndecidedGreater Greater Washington/PPPMarch 27 – March 29, 2026232 (LV)± 6.4%13%7%3%18%4%54%
+2026 Council of the District of Columbia Ward 1 Democratic primaryPartyCandidateRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Votes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%DemocraticAparna Raj9,20347.37 + 19,20447.42 + 1569,36048.87 + 3699,72952.30DemocraticMiguel Trindade Deramo4,14721.35 + 14,14821.37 + 2294,37722.86 + 5904,96726.70DemocraticRashida Brown3,26816.82 + 33,27116.85 + 1693,44017.96 + 4663,90621.00DemocraticJackie Reyes-Yanes1,7398.95 + 31,7428.97 + 2321,97410.31 - 1,974EliminatedDemocraticTerry Lynch1,0455.38 + 11,0465.39 - 1,046EliminatedWrite-in250.13 - 25Eliminated Continuing ballots20,001100.0019,98599.9219,72598.6219,17695.88 Exhausted ballots – + 16 160.08 + 260 2761.38 + 549 8254.12 Total votes20,001100.0020,001100.0020,001100.0020,001100.00
Republican primary Candidates Jett James Jasper
Statehood Green primary Candidates Jude Crannitch
Independents Candidates Ryan Prince
Ward 3
Incumbent Democrat Matt Frumin was first elected in 2022 with 75.9% of the vote. Democratic primary Candidates Matt Frumin, incumbent councilmember
Withdrawn Adam Prinzo, ANC member for district 3C
Declined Henry Cohen, candidate for Ward 3 councilmember in 2022 Eric Goulet, State Board of Education member and candidate in 2022 (running at-large)
Endorsements
Republican primary
Statehood Green primary
Ward 5
Incumbent Democrat Zachary Parker was first elected in 2022 with 93.9% of the vote, and was facing two primary challengers, who easily defeated them. Democratic primary Candidates Bernita Carmichael, risk management professional Bridget French, former United States Department of Energy consultant Zachary Parker, incumbent councilmember
Endorsements
Republican primary Candidates Jeffrey Kihien-Palza, businessman
Statehood Green primary Candidates Joyce Robinson-Paul
Ward 6
Incumbent Democrat Charles Allen was re-elected unopposed in 2022, and a recall effort in 2024 failed to make the ballot.
Democratic primary Candidates Charles Allen, incumbent councilmember Michael Murphy, attorney Gloria Ann Nauden, business executive and marketing strategist
Endorsements
Republican primary Candidates Jorge Rice, lawyer
Statehood Green primary
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of January 31, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handCharles Allen (D)$134,216$25,653$130,522Gloria Nauden (D)$66,444$13,840$62,201Jorge Rice (R)$1,150.50$283.75$866.25Source: District of Columbia Office of Campaign Finance +DC OCF Public Campaign FinancingCandidateOffice Sought Certification StatusBase Amount CapBase Amount PayoutPayment CapPayoutsPayouts TotalCharles Allen (D)Council Ward 6Certified$40,000.00$20,000.00$263,680.00$183,470.00$203,470.00Gloria Nauden (D)Council Ward 6Certified$40,000.00$20,000.00$263,680.00$78,748.75$98,748.75Jorge Rice (R)Council Ward 6Threshold Not Met$40,000.00$0.00$268,680.00$0.00$0.00Source: District of Columbia Office of Campaign Finance
Notes
References