Next year is shaping up to be a big one for local D.C. politics.
Ten local offices — including for mayor and for half of the D.C. Council — will be on the 2026 ballot, and with the primary just over seven months away, Mayor Muriel Bowser hasn’t said publicly if she will seek a fourth term.
What offices will be on the 2026 ballot in the District of Columbia?
We’re looking at the possibility of one of the biggest shakeups of elected officials in the District in many years. In fact, it’s hard to recall a past year with so much intrigue.
In addition to the possibility of a mayor and four (or more) new councilmembers, D.C. residents also could see some special elections and the chance of a sitting councilmember going to prison — all in the same year.
Here are the local offices that D.C. residents will see on their ballots next year:
- mayor
- D.C. Council chair
- attorney general
- delegate to Congress
- Ward 1 councilmember
- Ward 3 councilmember
- Ward 5 councilmember
- Ward 6 councilmember
- two At-Large councilmember seats (those currently held by McDuffie and Anita Bonds)
Who’s running for mayor in DC in 2026?
Bowser previously said she would announce her decision in June, but she still hasn’t said yet if she’ll seek reelection.
Since then, she’s been getting the question a lot.
“Nobody has to wait on me to make any decision,” Bowser said Thursday. “… I’ve run for a long time, a number of times, and my process is always the same. If I want, I tell voters what I’m going to do when I know what I’m going to do and I’m ready to tell voters. And that will be my process this time. People should know, however, that petitions don’t become available for this race, I think, until January.”
As expected, Bowser still is not saying, but there’s been a lot of reporting that she is leaning away from running.
Here’s how the mayoral race could shape up:
- If Bowser does run again, she would be the presumed frontrunner.
- Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George told the Washington Post she’s considering running for mayor.
- If Lewis George were to win the mayoral race, a special election would be required to fill her Ward 4 seat.
- At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie might run for mayor if Bowser does not, Axios and WAMU have reported.
- If McDuffie runs for mayor, he would have to give up his Council seat, so that would mean one new councilmember there.
What other changes should we expect in the DC Council in 2026?
Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau has announced she won’t seek reelection.
Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White is facing a federal bribery trial next year. If found guilty, he would have to step down — and that would force another special election.
Other Council seats could shift, too. See more on that below.
Who’s running for DC congressional delegate in 2026?
Two other councilmembers have announced they plan to run for the D.C. congressional delegate seat long held by Eleanor Holmes Norton.
Despite calls from many of her supporters not to seek reelection, Holmes Norton, 88, has said she plans to run for another term. However, it seems unlikely, given her age and dwindling support.
Councilmembers Robert White and Brooke Pinto have both announced they are running for that seat. If either of them win, it would mean another special election to fill either White’s or Pinto’s Council seat.
And — in case all of that isn’t enough — there’s another wild card in all these local races …
Does DC have ranked-choice voting?
Ranked-choice voting is on track to be implemented for the June 2026 primary in D.C.
Nobody is really sure how that will affect these races, but in races with three or more candidates, it could have a significant impact.
from Local – NBC4 Washington https://ift.tt/QJP58SN
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