DC will host its 2026 primary election on June 16th. DC is notoriously one of the most Democratic cities in the nation, with 75.3 percent of voters registered as Democrats. In addition to having a strong Democratic base, DC now has rank choice voting; allowing voters to select and rank up to five candidates.
Due to the high concentration of Democratic voters, DC hosts closed primaries, meaning voters may only vote within their affiliated party. Still, 18% of voters are registered with a third party, either the DC Statehood Green Party or the Libertarian Party.
One of the most engaging competitions of the primary elections is the DC Mayoral race. As the incumbent, mayor Muriel Bowser has chosen not to run for a fourth term. There are seven Democratic candidates running to replace her 12 year tenure; including the current Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis-George and former At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie.
As a socialist, Lewis-George has voiced her various goals of building housing units and grocery stores, and expanding subsidies. Meanwhile, McDuffie holds more moderate views, similar to Bowser’s. His proposals include preserving current housing units, supporting businesses, and expanding the Child Tax Credit to offer more money for childcare. Though they have differing views for the future of DC, both fall under the expansive Democratic umbrella.
The Mayoral race isn’t the only major change happening in the DC government; the DC Council At-Large race has seen twelve candidates hoping to fill its two vacant seats. One of those seats is vacant for the first time in over 13 years by Anita Bonds. The candidates include two former staffers to councilmember Bonds, Kevin Chavous and Leniqua’dominique Jenkins, and Candace Tiana Nelson, a former chief of staff to councilmember Lewis-George.
Despite two seats being available on the DC Council, one requires an independent party member (a position previously held by McDuffie). The winner of the upcoming primaries will serve only for the final six months of this term. Doni Crawford, who is currently occupying McDuffie’s seat, is campaigning to continue the role for the next full term. Elissa Silverman, another candidate who was unseated by McDuffie in 2022 after serving a two-year term, is running again in an attempt to regain her seat. The third competitor, Jacque Patterson, serves as president of the DC State Board of Education. Among the independent candidates, Crawford and Patterson have encouraged supporters to rank the other as their second choice, signaling an alliance in the election.
The last positions being voted on during the primaries are DC Attorney General, Delegate, Council Chairman, and Ward Councilmembers. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has held the position for the last four years, and is expected to continue his time in office, partially due to his higher campaign budget than his contestor, JP Szymkowicz. He has become infamous for suing the Trump administration for their deployment of the National Guard in DC and control over the Metropolitan Police Department. In contrast, Szymkowicz has promised to increase responses to juvenile crime in DC.
Current Delegate to the US House of Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton has decided not to run for reelection, leaving candidates scrambling for the position. Competitors Brooke Pinto, Ward 2 council member, and Robert White, member of DC Council At-Large, have emerged at the forefront of this election. DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson will continue to hold his position, as he has held it for the last 30 years.
With long-time individuals resigning from their positions, large numbers of candidates are scrambling for their roles. In addition, with various views falling into singular political parties, the 2026 primary election is sure to be intense, as Washingtonians selected the people who will lead them into the future. As students, it’s extremely important to be politically educated. While many of us may not be able to vote yet, there will come a time when our roles as young voters will be increasingly relevant to the future of the city and society in general. •
