Washington, D.C.
| Washington, District of Columbia | |
 | |
| General information | |
Mayor of Washington D.C.
Muriel Bowser | |
| Last mayoral election: | 2022 |
| Next mayoral election: | 2026 |
| Last city council election: | 2024 |
| Next city council election: | 2026 |
| City council seats: | 13 |
| City website | |
| Composition data (2019) | |
| Population: | 692,683 |
| Race: | White 41.3% African American 46.3% Asian 4.0% Native American 0.3% Pacific Islander 0.1% Two or more 3.1% |
| Ethnicity: | Hispanic 11.0% |
| Median household income: | $86,420 |
| High school graduation rate: | 90.9% |
| College graduation rate: | 58.5% |
| Related Washington offices | |
| Washington D.C. "Shadow" Representatives District of Columbia Attorney General | |
Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States. The city's population was 689,545 as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau.
In accordance with the U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, the city is not part of a state.
Click on the links below to learn more about the city's...
- Mayor
- City council
- Other elected officials
- Elections
- Census information
- Budget
- Contact information
- Ballot measures
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of Washington, D.C., utilizes a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body, while the mayor serves as the city's chief executive officer.[1]
Home rule
For most of its history, the local administration of Washington, D.C., fell under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress. This changed in 1973 when the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 allowed for the creation of a municipal government that included a city council and mayor. However, under the Home Rule Act, the U.S. Congress still has the right to review and approve municipal legislation as well as the city's annual operating budget.[2]
Mayor
The mayor of Washington, D.C., is the city's chief executive, and is responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, appointing departmental directors and board and commission members, and overseeing the city's day-to-day operations.[3][4]
The current Mayor of Washington D.C. is Muriel Bowser (D). Bowser assumed office in 2015.
City council
The city council is the city's primary legislative body. The council votes on and drafts legislation and approves the city's annual budget, which is in turn subject to approval by Congress. Additionally, the council appoints members to boards and commissions and gives the final say on appointments made by the mayor.[5][1]
The city council consists of 13 members. Eight are elected by the city's eight wards, while five—including the council chairperson—are elected at large.[1]
The widget below automatically displays information about city council meetings. The topic list contains a sampling of keywords that Voterheads, a local government monitoring service, found in each meeting agenda. Click the meeting link to see more info and the full agenda:
Other elected officials
Elections
2024
The city of Washington, D.C., held general elections for city council on November 5, 2024. A primary was scheduled for June 4, 2024. The filing deadline for the primary was March 6, 2024, and the filing deadline for the general election was August 7, 2024.
2022
The city of Washington, D.C., held general elections for mayor, attorney general, city council, and nonvoting and shadow members of Congress on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 21, 2022. The filing deadline for this election was March 23, 2022.
2020
Washington, D.C., held general elections for D.C. Council Wards (at-large, 2, 4, 7, and 8), nonvoting U.S. Representative, Shadow U.S. Senator, and Shadow U.S. Representative on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 2, 2020. A special election for D.C. Council Ward 2 was scheduled on June 16, 2020. The filing deadline for the regular election was March 4, 2020, and the filing deadline for the special election was March 18, 2020.
2018
The city of Washington, D.C., held general elections for mayor, city council, and attorney general on November 6, 2018. A primary election was held on June 19, 2018. The deadline for candidates to file to run in this election was March 21, 2018.
2016
The city of Washington, D.C., held elections for city council on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on June 14, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run for the nominations of the Democratic, Republican, Green, or Libertarian parties was March 16, 2016. Independent candidates had until August 10, 2016, to file for the general election. Six of the 13 city council seats were up for election. Voters in Washington, D.C., also voted on an advisory referendum regarding a statehood proposal.[6]
2015
The city of Washington, D.C., held a special election for city council on April 28, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was January 28, 2015. The District 4 seat of Muriel Bowser (D) was vacant following her election as Mayor of Washington, D.C., on November 4, 2014, while the District 8 seat of longtime D.C. councilman and former mayor Marion Barry (D) was vacant following his death on November 23, 2014.[7] Brandon Todd won the contested election for District 4, and LaRuby May won the contested election for District 8.[8]
2014
The city of Washington, D.C., held elections for mayor and city council on November 4, 2014. A primary election took place on April 1, 2014. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 2, 2014.
The District of Columbia holds closed primaries, meaning only voters registered with that political party can vote in the primary. Citizens had to complete party affiliation changes by March 3, 2014, in order to vote in the primary.[9] Candidates looking to qualify for the ballot as an independent candidate needed to turn in petitions 90 days prior to the November 4 election, which was August 6, 2014. Muriel Bowser won the mayoral election, and Phil Mendelson was re-elected chairman of the city council. Anita Bonds and Elissa Silverman won election to two at-large seats. Brianne Nadeau, Mary Cheh, Kenyan McDuffie, and Charles Allen won contested races for Districts 1, 3, 5, and 6, respectively.[10]
2013
The city held a special election to fill the vacancy of an at-large member of the city council on April 23, 2013. Anita Bonds won a contested election for the open seat.[11]
2012
The city held a special election to fill a District 5 vacancy on the city council on May 15, 2012. Kenyan McDuffie won a contested election for the open seat.[12] There was a general election for six city council seats on November 6, 2012. Vincent Orange and David Grosso won a contested election for two at-large city council seats. Jack Evans, Muriel Bowser, Yvette Alexander, and Marion Barry won contested races for Districts 2, 4, 7, and 8, respectively.[13]
Census information
The table below shows demographic information about the city.
| Demographic Data for District of Columbia | |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | |
| Population | 689,545 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 61 |
| Race and ethnicity** | |
| White | 39.6% |
| Black/African American | 44.3% |
| Asian | 4% |
| Native American | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% |
| Two or more | 7.1% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 11.5% |
| Education | |
| High school graduation rate | 92.7% |
| College graduation rate | 62.6% |
| Income | |
| Median household income | $101,722 |
| Persons below poverty level | 10.8% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022). | |
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | |
Budget
The city's budget process operates by fiscal years running from October 1 to September 30 of the next year. The mayor is responsible for submitting a proposed annual budget to the city council, which is responsible for revising and adopting the budget.[14]
Congress retains ultimate authority over the budget. The federally funded component of the D.C. budget undergoes a separate congressional budget process, while the locally funded component of the D.C. budget becomes law after undergoing a 30-day congressional review period.[15]
Fiscally standardized cities data
The fiscally standardized cities (FiSC) data below was compiled by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy to make municipal budgets comparable across cities in the United States.[16]
| “ |
FiSCs are constructed by adding revenues and expenditures of each central city municipal government to a portion of the revenues and expenditures of overlying governments, including counties, independent school districts, and special districts. The allocations to FiSCs are estimates of the revenues collected from and services provided to central city residents and businesses by these overlying independent governments. Thus FiSCs provides a full picture of revenues raised from city residents and businesses and spending on their behalf, whether done by the city government or a separate overlying government.[17] |
” |
| —Lincoln Institute of Land Policy[18] | ||
The tables below show estimated finances within city limits. As such, the revenue and expenses listed may differ from the actual city budget.
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Historical total revenue and expenditure
To see the historical total revenue or expenditures as a rounded amount in this city, hover over the bars.[16]
Contact information
Mayor's office
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-727-2643
Secretary of the District of Columbia's office
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 419
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-727-6306
Fax: 202-727-3582
Click here for city council contact information.
Ballot measures
On the process for initiatives and referendums in Washington, D.C., see here.
On the history of initiatives and referendums in Washington, D.C., see here.
Noteworthy events
2020: Events and activity following the death of George Floyd
During the weekend of May 29-31, 2020, demonstrations and protests took place in cities nationwide, including Washington, D.C., following the death of George Floyd. Events in Washington, D.C., began on Friday, May 29, 2020, with marches through the city and a gathering at the White House.[19] On May 30, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy activated and deployed the D.C. National Guard.[20] On May 31, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) instituted a curfew.[21]
2015: Safety in the city
Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) stated that Washington, D.C., is "among the safest cities anywhere in the United States," according to a local D.C. news story that ran on August 18, 2015. Crime data available as of October 2015 suggested that this statement was mostly untrue.[22]
2015: Study on city's nondiscrimination laws
- See also: Affirmative action
In July 2015, the Movement Advancement Project described Washington, D.C., as a city or county that prohibited discrimination in employment on the basis of gender identity via ordinances that apply to public and private employers. At that time, a total of 71 of America's largest 100 cities prohibited private employers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation, while 69 of those cities also prohibited discrimination based on gender identity. This did not include those jurisdictions that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity for government employees.[23]
Nondiscrimination laws can cover a variety of areas, including public employment, private employment, housing, and public accommodations. Such laws may be enacted at the state, county, or city level.
2014: Marijuana legalization
On November 4, 2014, D.C. voters approved a ballot measure known as the Legalization of Possession of Minimal Amounts of Marijuana for Personal Use Act of 2014. The measure permitted individuals 21 and over to possess up to two ounces of marijuana for personal use; to grow up to six cannabis plants within their principal residence; to transfer without payment (but not sell) up to one ounce of marijuana to another person 21 years of age or older; and to use or sell drug paraphernalia for the purpose of the growing or processing of marijuana or cannabis.[24]
In December 2014, however, the U.S. Congress, which oversees Washington, D.C.'s city budget and legislative process, attached an amendment, known as a rider, to the 2015 federal budget that effectively prohibited the city from implementing or regulating the measure. Specifically, the amendment forbade the use of federal or local funds “to enact any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use, or distribution of any schedule I substance.” It forbade city officials in D.C. not only from planning for implementation and regulation, but also from transmitting the measure to Congress for approval, a process through which all new legislation in D.C. must go before becoming law.[25][26]
Nonetheless, on January 13, 2015, Phil Mendelson, Chairman of the D.C. Council, formally submitted the measure to Congress. In accordance with federal law, that action began a 30-day congressional review period.[27][28] The law officially took effect on February 26, 2015.[29]
The official stance of D.C. elected officials was that the budget amendment held no bearing on the marijuana measure. They argued that the law was enacted on November 4, 2014, when 115,050 voters approved it.[28] Conversely, congressional Republicans such as Rep. Andrew Harris (R-MD) and Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)—the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, which is the committee responsible for reviewing D.C. municipal laws—argued that any attempt on the part of elected city officials in D.C. to move forward with the law would be in violation of the federal budget rider.[30]
2014: Election day irregularities
On February 6, 2015, the District of Columbia Auditor's Office released a report detailing a number of election day voting irregularities that occurred in the city's 2014 municipal elections. These irregularities included insufficient staffing at 23 out of 89 polling places, outdated or malfunctioning equipment, polling sites that failed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, a lack of basic election day supplies such as signage and stationary, and several instances of improper voting procedures. The latter category included at least one instance of a voter being asked to provide photo identification before being allowed to vote. The presentation of photo identification is not required under D.C. election laws.[31]
The audit was requested by D.C. council member Kenyan McDuffie (D), who, as The Washington Post noted, regularly criticized the D.C. Board of Elections throughout his tenure.[31]
See also
- Election governance in Washington, D.C.
- Largest cities in the United States by population
- Home rule in Washington, D.C.
- Shadow Congresspersons
- District of Columbia's At-Large Congressional District
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Council of the District of Columbia, "About the Council," accessed February 18, 2015
- ↑ Council of the District of Columbia, "D.C. Home Rule," accessed August 28, 2014
- ↑ Washington, D.C., "Office of the Mayor," accessed August 5, 2014
- ↑ District of Columbia Official Code, "Section: I.1.2.IV.B," accessed February 18, 2015
- ↑ Code of the District of Columbia, "§ 1–523.01. Mayoral nominees," accessed September 2, 2021
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "General Election 2016 - Certified Results," accessed September 10, 2021
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "Special Election Calendar," accessed December 31, 2014
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "Special Election 2015 - Certified Results," accessed September 10, 2021
- ↑ District of Columbia, "Board of Elections, Candidate Guide to Ballot Access," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "General Election 2014 - Certified Results," accessed September 10, 2021
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "Special Election 2013 - Certified Results," accessed September 10, 2021
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "Special Election 2012 - Certified Results," accessed September 10, 2021
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "General & Special 2012 - Certified Results," accessed September 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of the District of Columbia, "District of Columbia Home Rule Act Part D -- District Budget and Financial Management," accessed August 28, 2023
- ↑ DC Fiscal Policy Institute, "A Resident’s Guide to the DC Budget," January 23, 2019
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, "Fiscally Standardized Cities database," accessed August 28, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, "Fiscally Standardized Cities," accessed August 28, 2023
- ↑ WUSA, "Protesters gather outside White House demanding justice for George Floyd's death in Minneapolis," May 30, 2020
- ↑ Military Times, "5,000 National Guard troops in 15 states and DC activated to help quell growing civil unrest," May 31, 2020
- ↑ DCist, "Mayor Muriel Bower Institutes A Sunday Night Curfew Starting At 11 P.M.," May 31, 2020
- ↑ Fox 5 DC, "DC violent crime concerns continue after Shaw neighborhood shootings," August 18, 2015
- ↑ Movement Advancement Project, "Local Employment Non-Discrimination Ordinances," accessed July 7, 2015
- ↑ DCMJ.org, "Home," accessed January 13, 2014
- ↑ Washington Times, "Congress axes D.C. marijuana legalization in spending plan," December 9, 2014
- ↑ WXII 12 News, "Activists: House to block DC pot legalization," December 10, 2014
- ↑ RT, "DC Council sends pot legalization measure for congressional review despite ban," January 14, 2015
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Washington Times, "D.C.’s marijuana legalization initiative under review by Congress," January 14, 2015
- ↑ KTLA, "Washington DC Law Legalizing Marijuana Goes Into Effect," February 26, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "D.C. challenges Congress to halt marijuana legalization in nation’s capital," January 13, 2015
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 The Washington Post, "Audit: No-show poll workers, outdated equipment marred D.C. election," February 9, 2015
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