Key races in DC: I-83, City Council race
Is D.C. ready for ranked-choice voting?
A potential ballot initiative could give D.C. voters a crack at overhauling the election system. The proposed Initiative 83 would create a "ranked-choice voting" system, and open primaries up to all voters, including independents. Lisa Rice is behind the push and she makes her case on "The Final 5." (https://makeallvotescountdc.org/)
WASHINGTON - A ranked-choice voting initiative and a city council seat on the 2024 General Election ballot for some D.C. residents are among the list of election results across the country and the DMV that FOX 5 will be tracking closely on election night.
DC Initiative 83
When voters head to the polls in D.C. on Nov. 5, they will be asked if they want to change how they pick their elected officials. It’s called Initiative 83.
Initiative 83 asks voters if they want to let independents vote in primary elections and introduces ranked-choice voting to D.C. elections. It would take effect in 2026.
The ballot initiative has created strange political partnerships—the Democratic and Republican parties in D.C. oppose it, while independents hope to pass it.
What would I-83 mean for D.C.'s primaries?
D.C. currently has closed primaries, meaning only Democrats and Republicans can vote in primaries. Backers of I-83 say that freezes out independent voters from having any say over who winds up on the ballot in November.
"Number one, it would let independents vote in primary elections. Right now, not many people are aware these primary elections are taxpayer-funded, and we can’t all vote in them right now," said Lisa Rice, the official Proposer of Initiative 83.
But opponents – which include Democrats and Republicans – say Initiative 83 would violate the District’s home rule by dismantling D.C.’s partisan primary system. They also say supporters of the change are backed by "outside organizations pushing an agenda," according to the Vote No on 83 website.
"They use the word change a lot, and we think this is an attempt to change the landscape of who our elected officials are! To go in reverse? When we’ve made great strides in having women, people of color, LGBTQ on the Council," said Deidre Brown, a leader in the Vote No on 83 organization.
How would I-83 change voting in D.C.?
Ranked voting is where voters pick their preference of five candidates, and those candidates square off until one receives a majority. It would mean the candidate who wins would need over 50% of the votes.
Voters would be able to put their top choice candidate at the top of the ballot, but also rank your second, third, fourth choice, and so on.
Supporters see it as another way to open things up in D.C.
"Not only does it guarantee that the winner of an election would receive a majority of the votes but it is a process that encourages minority candidates and injects civility in elections. When candidates are ranked by voters, the slogan that 'every vote counts' takes on an even deeper concrete mathematical meaning. Also, if you are a candidate who wants to be a voter’s second choice, it helps if you not engage in negative campaigning," said Philip Pannell, treasurer of Yes on 83.
This ballot initiative is going before D.C. voters because backers were able to get enough signatures to get it on the ballot. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office tells FOX 5 that the mayor opposes Initiative 83.
DC Ward 8 City Council election: White vs. Derenge
Ward 8 Councilman Trayon White has vowed he will stay on the ballot on Election Day, amidst bribery charges.
In August, White was charged with one count of bribery. The U.S. Department of Justice says White is accused of agreeing to accept $156,000 in exchange for working to extend violence interrupter contracts. The transactions and discussions were reportedly captured on video. The federal indictment included pictures showing White accepting envelopes of cash.
White pleaded not guilty in federal court on Sept. 12. He was removed from his committee leadership role for Recreation, Libraries, and Youth Affairs on Sept. 17.
"The reality is yes, I’m on the ballot," said White to constituents in September.
White’s arrest cast a shadow over his reelection campaign, and his Republican opponent, Nate Derenge, is making sure voters don’t forget about it.
Derenge, the only name on the ballot challenging White in November, has used the scandal as a rallying cry for his campaign.
His slogan, "Not a bribe-taker," has been plastered across his social media profiles, with an image of White wearing a crown and the word "betrayal" in bold letters. Derenge hasn’t held back — he even released a rap video mocking White’s legal troubles.
Derenge, who moved to Historic Anacostia in 2015 and bought a home in Fairlawn two years later, works full-time and volunteers at local nonprofits like the House DC and the DC Dream Center. His roots in the community and focus on ending the cycle of poverty have drawn some attention, but whether his bold, often harsh rhetoric will resonate with Ward 8 voters remains to be seen.
Despite the federal bribery charge, many political analysts believe White remains a favorite to win reelection, citing his deep ties to the community and the support he has built over his years in office. But with Derenge’s aggressive campaign centering on the bribery allegations against his opponent, the race has become much more competitive.
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