Council of the District of Columbia Period 15
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Council of the District of Columbia The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of the District of Columbia, the capital of the United States. As permitted in the United States Constitution, the district is not part of any U.S. state ...
since its creation in 1975. All members are elected to 4-year terms (except for the initial 2-year terms for half the members elected to the first council, in 1974).


Commissioner-council system

On June 1, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered that the 3-member commissioner system that had governed the District for nearly 100 years be replaced by a single commissioner and a 9-member city council all appointed by the President. The commissioner, sometimes referred to as the mayor-commissioner, would be able to veto the actions of the council, and council could overrule the veto with a 3/4ths majority. Congress had 60 days for either house to reject the rule. Only the House introduced a disapproval resolution, supported by Republicans and Southern Democrats, but it failed 244–160. Each member of the council served a 3-year term starting February 1, with seats staggered by three years; except for those appointed initially in 1967. In the event that a member's term expired, they would remain a member until a replacement was confirmed and sworn in. By law, a maximum of six members could be from any one party. Because of a low salary and the fact that terms lasted until a replacement was available, membership was quite fluid. (''Changes in italics'') *Nov 3, 1967 – Sept 13, 1968 – ''John W. Heckiner (Chair),
Walter E. Fauntroy Walter Edward Fauntroy (born February 6, 1933) is an American pastor, civil rights activist, and politician who was a delegate to the United States House of Representatives and a candidate for the 1972 and 1976 Democratic presidential nominations ...
(vice-chair), Stanley J. Anderson, Margaret A. Haywood, John A. Nevius,
Polly Shackleton Pauline "Polly" Ehrlich Shackleton (June 19, 1910 – July 14, 1997)''U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014'' was an American Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. She was elected as one of the original members of the Council of the D ...
, William S. Thompson, J.C. Turner, Joseph P. Yeldell''. (Haywood, Turner and Yelldell had terms that ended on Feb 1, 1968, but all three were reappointed.) *Sept 13, 1968 – Oct 18, 1968 – Heckiner (Chair), Fauntroy (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Nevius, Shackleton, Thompson, Yeldell. (Turner resigned.) *Oct 18, 1968 – March 13, 1969 – Heckiner (Chair), Fauntroy (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Nevius, Shackleton, Thompson, ''Phillip J. Daugherty'' and Yeldell. (Daugherty was appointed to fill Turner's seat.) *March 13, 1969 – July 11, 1969 – ''Gilbert Hahn, Jr (Chair),
Sterling Tucker Sterling Tucker (December 21, 1923 – July 14, 2019) was an American civil and political rights activist and politician in Washington, D.C. He was the first chair of the Council of the District of Columbia and was an unsuccessful candidate for ma ...
(vice-chair)'', Anderson, Haywood, '' Rev. Jerry A Moore, Jr.'', Shackleton, Thompson, Daugherty and Yeldell. (Hahn, Tucker and Moore replaced Hechinger, Fauntroy and Nevius respectively; Nixon's first appointments as he shifted the council from majority Democrat to majority Republican.) *July 11, 1969 – Oct 16, 1969 – Hahn (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Shackleton, Moore, Daugherty and Yeldell. (Thompson resigned to be a judge.) *Oct 16, 1969 – April 3, 1970 – Hahn (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Shackleton, Moore, ''Dr. Henry S. Robinson'', Daugherty and Yeldell. (Robinson appointed to fill Thompson's seat.) *April 3, 1970 – Nov 30, 1970 – Hahn (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, '' Rev. Carlton W. Veazey'', Moore, Robinson, Daugherty and Yeldell. (Anderson and Robinson were reappointed and Veazey replaced Shackleton.) *Nov 30, 1970 – June 22, 1971 – Hahn (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Veazey, Moore, Robinson and Daugherty. (Yeldell resigned to run for delegate.) *June 22, 1971 – Nov 30, 1971 – Hahn (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Veazey, Moore, Robinson, ''Henry K. Willard II'' and ''Yeldell''. (Haywood was reappointed, Yeldell was appointed to his own vacancy and Willard replaced Daugherty.) *Nov 30, 1971 – Jan 17, 1972 – Hahn (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Veazey, Moore, Robinson, Willard. (Yeldell resigned to become the city's human resources director.) *Jan 17, 1972 – March 18, 1972 – Hahn (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Veazey, Moore, Robinson, Willard and ''Tedson J. Meyers'' (Meyers appointed to fill Yeldell's seat.) *March 18, 1972 – May 3, 1972 – Hahn (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Veazey, Robinson, Willard and Meyers. (Moore resigned to run for delegate.) *May 3, 1972 – June 20, 1972 – ''Nevius (Chair)'', Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Veazey, Robinson, Willard and Meyers. (Nevius appointed to replace Hahn as chair.) *June 20, 1972 – July 11, 1972 – Nevius (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Haywood, Veazey, Robinson and Meyers. (Willard retired to focus on business.) *July 11, 1972 – Oct 2, 1972 – Nevius (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, Veazey, Robinson and Meyers. (Haywood resigned to become a judge.) *Oct 2, 1972 – Aug 8, 1973 – Nevius (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), Anderson, ''Marjorie Parker'', Veazey, ''Moore'', Robinson, ''Rockwood H. Foster'' and Meyers. (Foster replaced Willard, Parker replaced Haywood and Moore reappointed to the seat he vacated.) *Aug 8, 1973 – Jan 2, 1975 – Nevius (Chair), Tucker (vice-chair), ''Marguerite C. Selden'', Parker, ''Antoinette Ford'', Moore, Robinson, Foster and Meyers. (Selden replaced Anderson, Ford replaced Veazey and Robinson was reappointed.) On October 30, 1973, members voted to represent areas of town. They did not use the ward system, which had been created for the school board, but instead used the service area system created by the mayor in 1970. There were 8 wards, 9 service areas and 9 members of the council. They were assigned: *Service area 1 (upper Ga Ave Corridor) – Moore *Service area 2 (upper NE) – Robinson *Service area 3 (NE, east of Anacostia) – Parker *Service area 4 (SE east of Anacostia) – Ford *Service area 5 (Capitol Hill and just east of Anacostia River) – Selden *Service area 6 (Model citys, Ivy City, Stanton Park and Trinidad) – Tucker *Service area 7 (Adams Morgan) – Tucker *Service area 8 (west of Rock Creek park) – Foster *Service area 9 (downtown and SW) – Meyers and Parker


Appointed members and tenure


Tenure records

The chairman who served the longest uninterrupted period of time is Linda A. Cropp, who served 9 years, 146 days, from August 8, 1997, to January 1, 2007. David A. Clarke served the longest as chairman, counting all terms (with interruptions), serving 10 years, 185 days (from January 3, 1983, to January 3, 1991, and again from September 27, 1993, to his death on March 28, 1997). The chairman who served the shortest period of time is Kwame R. Brown, who served 521 days from January 2, 2011, to June 6, 2012. The council member who served the longest uninterrupted period of time is Jack Evans, who served 28 years from May 13, 1991, to January 17, 2020. Evans also holds the record for serving the longest period of time counting interrupted service. The council member who served the shortest period of time is Arrington Dixon, who served 121 days between his special appointment to an at-large seat on August 15, 1997, and December 14, 1997 (when David Catania was sworn in after winning a special election on December 3, 1997). The at-large council member who served the longest uninterrupted period of time is Hilda Mason, who served 21 years, 273 days from April 2, 1977, to January 1, 1999. Mason also holds the record for serving the longest period of time counting interrupted service. The Group 1 at-large council member who served the longest uninterrupted period of time is John L. Ray, who served 17 years, 359 days from January 8, 1979, to January 1, 1997. Ray also holds the record for the Group 1 at-large council member serving the longest period of time counting interrupted service. The Group 1 at-large council member who served the shortest period of time is Arrington Dixon. The Group 2 at-large council member who served the longest uninterrupted period of time is Hilda Mason. Mason also holds the record for the Group 2 at-large council member serving the longest period of time counting interrupted service. The Group 1 at-large council member who served the shortest period of time is Sekou Biddle, who served 123 days from his appointment on January 7, 2011, until May 9, 2011 (his successor, Vincent Orange, was sworn in on May 10 after a special election held April 26, 2011).


Chairman

#
Sterling Tucker Sterling Tucker (December 21, 1923 – July 14, 2019) was an American civil and political rights activist and politician in Washington, D.C. He was the first chair of the Council of the District of Columbia and was an unsuccessful candidate for ma ...
( D), 1975–1979 #
Arrington Dixon Arrington Dixon is an American politician who is a former Chair and Member of the Council of the District of Columbia of Washington, D.C. Early years Dixon was born in Anacostia in Washington, D.C., to James and Sally Dixon. Council of the Dist ...
( D), 1979–1983 #
David A. Clarke David Allen "Dave" Clarke (October 13, 1943 – March 27, 1997) was an American civil-rights worker, attorney, and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. Elected as one of the original members of the Counc ...
( D), 1983–1991 # John A. Wilson ( D), 1991–1993 #
David A. Clarke David Allen "Dave" Clarke (October 13, 1943 – March 27, 1997) was an American civil-rights worker, attorney, and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. Elected as one of the original members of the Counc ...
( D), 1993–1997 (won special election after death of Wilson) #
Linda W. Cropp Linda Washington Cropp (born October 5, 1947) is an American politician from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. She was a Democratic member of the Council of the District of Columbia, where she was the first woman to serve as the ...
( D), 1997–2007 (won special election after death of Clarke) #
Vincent C. Gray Vincent Condol Gray (born November 8, 1942) is an American politician who served as the mayor of the District of Columbia from 2011 to 2015. He served for one term, losing his bid for reelection in the Democratic primary to D.C. Council member ...
( D), 2007–2011 # Kwame R. Brown ( D), 2011–2012 # Phil Mendelson ( D), 2012–present (won special election after Brown resigned)


At-large member

There are four at-large members at any time, elected in groups of two. Group 1 was elected in 1974 to 2-year terms and elected in years divisible by 4 thereafter: 1976, 1980, ..., 2008, 2012, etc. Group 2 is elected in years divisible by 2 but not by 4: 1974, 1978, ..., 2010, 2014, etc. In 1974, Group 1 consisted of Marion Barry and Jerry A. Moore, Jr. #
Douglas E. Moore Douglas E. Moore (1928 – August 22, 2019) was a Methodist minister who organized the 1957 Royal Ice Cream Sit-in in Durham, North Carolina. Moore entered the ministry at a young age. After finding himself dissatisfied with what he perceived as ...
( D), 1975–1979 #
Julius Hobson Julius Wilson Hobson (May 29, 1922March 23, 1977) was an activist and politician who served on the Council of the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Board of Education. Early life Hobson was a native of Birmingham, Alabama, He wa ...
(
Statehood A state is a centralized political organization that imposes and enforces rules over a population within a territory. There is no undisputed definition of a state. One widely used definition comes from the German sociologist Max Weber: a "sta ...
), 1975–1977 # Marion Barry ( D), 1975–1979 #
Jerry A. Moore Jr. Jerry Alexander Moore Jr. (June 12, 1918 – December 19, 2017) was an African-American Baptist Minister (Christianity), minister and politician in Washington, D.C. Early years and education Moore was born in Minden, Louisiana, to Mae Dee Moore a ...
( R), 1975–1985 #
Hilda Mason Hilda Mason (June 14, 1916 – December 16, 2007) was an American politician and statehood advocate in Washington, D.C. Mason was a member of the D.C. Statehood Party and served as an at-large member of the Council of the District of Colum ...
(
Statehood A state is a centralized political organization that imposes and enforces rules over a population within a territory. There is no undisputed definition of a state. One widely used definition comes from the German sociologist Max Weber: a "sta ...
), 1977–1999 (appointed by party and then won special election after death of Hobson) # Betty Ann Kane ( D), 1979–1991 # John L. Ray ( D), 1979–1997 (appointed by party and then won special election after Barry became mayor) # Carol Schwartz ( R), 1985–1989 # William Lightfoot ( I), 1989–1997 #
Linda W. Cropp Linda Washington Cropp (born October 5, 1947) is an American politician from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. She was a Democratic member of the Council of the District of Columbia, where she was the first woman to serve as the ...
( D), 1991–1997 #
Harold Brazil Harold Brazil (born December 13, 1947
. ''The Washington Post''. 1996. Retrieved ...
( D), 1997–2005 # Carol Schwartz ( R), 1997–2009 #
Arrington Dixon Arrington Dixon is an American politician who is a former Chair and Member of the Council of the District of Columbia of Washington, D.C. Early years Dixon was born in Anacostia in Washington, D.C., to James and Sally Dixon. Council of the Dist ...
( D), 1997 (appointed by party after Cropp became chairman) #
David Catania David A. Catania (born January 16, 1968) is an American politician and lawyer from Washington, D.C. He was formerly an at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia, which he gave up to pursue an unsuccessful run in the 2014 mayor ...
( R; became I in 2004), 1997–2015 (won special election at end of Dixon's temporary appointment) # Phil Mendelson ( D), 1999–2012 # Kwame R. Brown ( D), 2005–2011 # Michael A. Brown ( I), 2009–2013 # Sekou Biddle ( D), 2011 (appointed by party after Kwame Brown became chairman) # Vincent Orange ( D), 2011–2016 (won special election at end of Biddle's temporary appointment) # Anita Bonds ( D), 2012–present (appointed by party after Mendelson became chairman and later won a special election) #
David Grosso David Grosso (born September 18, 1970) is an American attorney and politician. He is a former at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia who lives in Brookland. A native Washingtonian, he graduated from Earlham College and Georget ...
( I), 2013–2021 # Elissa Silverman ( I), 2015–present # Robert White ( D), 2016–present (appointed by party following the resignation of Vincent Orange) #
Christina Henderson Christina Kirk Henderson (15 August 1861 – 27 September 1953) was a New Zealand teacher, feminist, prohibitionist, social reformer and editor. Early life Henderson was born in Emerald Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 15 August 186 ...
( I), 2021–present


Ward 1 member

The Ward 1 member is elected in years divisible by 2 but not by 4: 1974, 1978, ..., 2010, 2014, etc. #
David A. Clarke David Allen "Dave" Clarke (October 13, 1943 – March 27, 1997) was an American civil-rights worker, attorney, and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. Elected as one of the original members of the Counc ...
( D), 1975–1983 # Frank Smith ( D), 1983–1999 # Jim Graham ( D), 1999–2015 #
Brianne Nadeau Brianne Nadeau (born October 11, 1980) is an American Democratic politician in Washington, D.C., and a member of the Council of the District of Columbia representing Ward 1 since 2015. She defeated long-time incumbent Jim Graham in the Democrati ...
( D), 2015–present


Ward 2 member

The Ward 2 member was elected in 1974 to a 2-year term and elected in years divisible by 4 thereafter: 1976, 1980, ..., 2008, 2012, etc. # John A. Wilson ( D), 1975–1991 # Jack Evans ( D), 1991–2020 (won special election after Wilson became chairman, resigned in January 2020, due to ethics violations) # Brooke Pinto ( D), 2020–present (won special election after Evans resigned)


Ward 3 member

The Ward 3 member is elected in years divisible by 2 but not by 4: 1974, 1978, ..., 2010, 2014, etc. #
Polly Shackleton Pauline "Polly" Ehrlich Shackleton (June 19, 1910 – July 14, 1997)''U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014'' was an American Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. She was elected as one of the original members of the Council of the D ...
( D), 1975–1987 #
James E. Nathanson James E. "Jim" Nathanson is a former politician and lawyer in Washington, D.C. He was elected to represent Ward 3 on the Council of the District of Columbia in 1987 and served until 1995. Nathanson was a teacher at Duke Ellington School of the Ar ...
( D), 1987–1995 #
Kathleen Patterson Kathleen "Kathy" Patterson (born June 21, 1948) is an American politician from Washington, D.C. From 1995 to 2007, she was a Democratic member of the Council of the District of Columbia, where she served as the elected member for Ward 3, a post ...
( D), 1995–2007 # Mary Cheh ( D), 2007–present


Ward 4 member

The Ward 4 member was elected in 1974 to a 2-year term and elected in years divisible by 4 thereafter: 1976, 1980, ..., 2008, 2012, etc. #
Arrington Dixon Arrington Dixon is an American politician who is a former Chair and Member of the Council of the District of Columbia of Washington, D.C. Early years Dixon was born in Anacostia in Washington, D.C., to James and Sally Dixon. Council of the Dist ...
( D), 1975–1979 # Charlene Drew Jarvis ( D), 1979–2001 (won special election after Dixon became chairman) # Adrian Fenty ( D), 2001–2007 # Muriel Bowser ( D), 2007–2015 (won special election after Fenty became mayor) # Brandon Todd ( D), 2015–2021 (won special election after Bowser became mayor) # Janeese Lewis George ( D), 2021–present


Ward 5 member

The Ward 5 member is elected in years divisible by 2 but not by 4: 1974, 1978, ..., 2010, 2014, etc. # William Spaulding ( D), 1975–1987 # Harry Thomas, Sr. ( D), 1987–1999 # Vincent Orange ( D), 1999–2007 # Harry Thomas, Jr. ( D), 2007–2012 (resigned) # Kenyan McDuffie ( D), 2012–present (won special election after Thomas' resignation)


Ward 6 member

The Ward 6 member is elected in years divisible by 2 but not by 4: 1974, 1978, ..., 2010, 2014, etc. #
Nadine Winter Nadine P. Winter (March 3, 1924 – August 26, 2011) was a community activist and a Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. Early years Winter was born Nadine Kinnion Poole in New Bern, North Carolina, in 1924.Langer, Emily.Nadine P. Wi ...
( D), 1975–1991 #
Harold Brazil Harold Brazil (born December 13, 1947
. ''The Washington Post''. 1996. Retrieved ...
( D), 1991–1997 #
Sharon Ambrose Sharon Ambrose (September 3, 1939 – April 3, 2017) was an American politician and teacher from Washington, D.C. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Ambrose graduated from Saint Xavier University in Chicago. She was a Democratic member of the Council o ...
( D), 1997–2007 (won special election after Brazil became at-large) #
Tommy Wells Thomas Clayton Wells (born February 27, 1957) is an American politician, social worker and lawyer from Washington, DC. He was a member of the Council of the District of Columbia where he served as a Democrat representing Ward 6. Wells is now the ...
( D), 2007–2015 #
Charles Allen Charles Allen may refer to: Politicians *Charles Allen (Massachusetts politician) (1797–1869), American politician and congressman in Massachusetts *Charles Allen (Australian politician) (1833–1913), Australian politician and member of the T ...
( D), 2015–present


Ward 7 member

The Ward 7 member was elected in 1974 to a 2-year term and elected in years divisible by 4 thereafter: 1976, 1980, ..., 2008, 2012, etc. # Willie Hardy ( D), 1975–1981 #
H. R. Crawford Hazle Reid Crawford (January 18, 1939 – February 10, 2017) was an American real estate developer and Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. Early life Crawford was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on January 18, 1939.
( D), 1981–1993 #
Kevin P. Chavous Kevin Pernell Chavous (born May 17, 1956) is an American lawyer, author, education reform activist, and former Democratic Party politician in Washington, D.C., in the United States. He served as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia ...
( D), 1993–2005 #
Vincent C. Gray Vincent Condol Gray (born November 8, 1942) is an American politician who served as the mayor of the District of Columbia from 2011 to 2015. He served for one term, losing his bid for reelection in the Democratic primary to D.C. Council member ...
( D), 2005–2007 #
Yvette Alexander Yvette M. Alexander (born October 1, 1961, in the District of Columbia) is a Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. She represented Ward 7 on the Council of the District of Columbia from 2007 to 2017. After losing her council seat, Alexande ...
( D), 2007–2017 (won special election after Gray became chairman) #
Vincent C. Gray Vincent Condol Gray (born November 8, 1942) is an American politician who served as the mayor of the District of Columbia from 2011 to 2015. He served for one term, losing his bid for reelection in the Democratic primary to D.C. Council member ...
( D), 2017–present


Ward 8 member

The Ward 8 member was elected in 1974 to a 2-year term and elected in years divisible by 4 thereafter: 1976, 1980, ..., 2008, 2012, etc. # James Coates ( D), 1975–1977 #
Wilhelmina Rolark Wilhelmina Jackson Rolark (September 12, 1916February 14, 2006) was a Democratic politician and activist in Washington, D.C. She was elected to represent Ward 8 on the Council of the District of Columbia in 1976 and served four terms. Rolark wa ...
( D), 1977–1993 # Marion Barry ( D), 1993–1995 #
Eydie Whittington Eydie D. Whittington is a Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission While working as a legal secretary, Whittington represented the neighborhood of Douglas Gardens on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission. 19 ...
( D), 1995–1997 (won special election after Barry became mayor) #
Sandy Allen Sandra Elaine Allen (June 18, 1955 – August 13, 2008) was an American woman recognized by the Guinness World Records as the tallest woman in the world. She was tall. Allen wrote a book, ''Cast a Giant Shadow''. Although over the years other ...
( D), 1997–2005 # Marion Barry ( D), 2005–2014 #
LaRuby May LaRuby Zinea May (born December 28, 1975) is an American politician and African American lawyer who formerly represented Ward 8 on the Council of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. She won the Ward 8 special election on May 10, 2015, su ...
( D), 2015–2017 (won special election after Barry died) #
Trayon White Trayon White (born May 11, 1984) is an American Democratic politician, currently serving as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia, representing Ward 8 of the District of Columbia. Before entering politics, he worked as a grassroots ...
( D), 2017–present


Table

Background colors indicate party:


See also

*
Council of the District of Columbia The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of the District of Columbia, the capital of the United States. As permitted in the United States Constitution, the district is not part of any U.S. state ...
* List of mayors of Washington, D.C. *
Political party strength in Washington, D.C. With the enactment of the 23rd amendment to the Constitution in 1961, the district has been permitted to participate in presidential elections. It is part of the " blue wall", having voted for all Democratic nominees since 1964. The majority o ...
* United States congressional delegations from the District of Columbia


References


External links


District of Columbia Home Rule Act.
* {{cite web, title=Historical Elected Officials , publisher=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics , access-date=2008-07-13 , url=http://www.dcboee.org/information/eo_index/history.shtm , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080709200519/http://www.dcboee.org/information/eo_index/history.shtm , archive-date=2008-07-09 , url-status=dead
Council A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...