Voters in Ward 8 will choose the District’s next council member on Tuesday during a special election for the seat vacated by Trayon White, who the D.C. Council unanimously expelled in February after White was charged with accepting bribes.
Four candidates, including White, are running for the seat. Here’s what Ward 8 residents need to know about the race and how to cast a ballot.
Dates at a glance
- Early vote centers are open Friday to Monday, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Mail ballot drop boxes are open now until the conclusion of the special election on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
- Vote centers are open on the day of the election, Tuesday, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- All mail ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday and received by the board of elections by July 25.
What’s on the ballot
This is a special election solely for the Ward 8 seat on the D.C. Council. The winner will serve the remainder of White’s term, until Jan. 2, 2029.
White is accused of accepting $35,000 in bribes to influence city contract decisions. White is not scheduled to go on trial until 2026 and has pleaded not guilty.
He is running to regain his seat, but if he were to be found guilty, he would be expelled for good, as people convicted of a felony are disqualified from serving on the council.
White is going up against three other candidates:
- Mike Austin: Austin is an attorney and former Advisory Neighborhood Commission chair, according to his campaign website. He also served as legislative director for former Ward 8 council member LaRuby May.
- Sheila Bunn: Bunn most recently served as chief of staff to former D.C. Mayor and Ward 7 council member Vincent Gray. Previously, she directed the Consumer Services Division of the Office of the People’s Counsel, according to her campaign website.
- Salim Adofo: Adofo is a tenant organizer and served as ANC Commissioner in Congress Heights, according to his campaign website. He also established the Ward 8 STEM Academy, which educates elementary and middle school students in the ward on the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Voting before election day
Early voting runs from Friday to Monday, with vote centers open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. during those days. There are four early vote center locations:
- The Ferebee-Hope Recreation Center gymnasium
- The Anacostia Public Library multipurpose room
- The Van Ness Elementary School multipurpose room
- The Patterson Elementary School multipurpose room
Ballots were also sent to each registered voter in Ward 8. Voters can return those ballots by mail or to a drop box from now until the election concludes Tuesday at 8 p.m. D.C.’s Board of Elections has a list of drop box locations in Ward 8 on its website.
What to know about election day
As with early voting, voters in Ward 8 can cast their ballot at any vote center on election day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., and a list of each of Ward 8’s 12 special election day vote centers is online.
Voters can also check their registration status online before heading to the polls. D.C. features same-day voter registration, meaning Ward 8 residents can show up to any voter center on election day and vote, as long as they have proof of residence. A list of acceptable forms of proof of residence is online.
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