United States House of Representatives elections in the District of Columbia

The District of Columbia is a political division coterminous with Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States.[1] According to the Article One of the Constitution, only states may be represented in the United States Congress.[2] The District of Columbia is not a U.S. state and therefore has no voting representation.[3]

In 1871, Congress reorganized the District of Columbia into a single territorial government that was partially elected. It also permitted the district to elect a delegate to the House of Representatives, a type of non-voting member. Norton P. Chipman served two terms as the district's delegate until Congress abolished the territorial government in 1874. The city went nearly 100 years without any representation in Congress.[4] With the enactment of the District of Columbia Delegate Act in 1970, its at-large congressional district was established. Constituents are again authorized to elect a delegate House.[5] The district has held 29 delegate elections in total.

In 2009, the Senate passed the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act, which would allow the district to elect a voting member to the House. However, an amendment added by John Ensign would repeal most of the district's gun laws and prohibit it from restricting gun rights any further. This took place eight months after the Supreme Court's ruling on District of Columbia v. Heller, which declared a D.C. gun law unconstitutional.[6] The Democratic leaders in the House admitted that they could not support the bill if it included the Ensign amendment,[7] and the never voted on it.[8]

The majority of residents want the district to become a state and gain full voting representation in Congress.[9] To prepare for this goal, the district has elected shadow representatives since 1990. The shadow representative emulates the role of representing the district in the House and pushes for statehood alongside the delegate and shadow senators.[10] The district has held 17 shadow representative elections.

The Democratic Party has immense political strength in the district; in each of the delegate and shadow representative elections (excluding the 1870s elections), the district has overwhelmingly voted for the Democratic candidate, with no margin less than 33 and 56 percentage points, respectively. In two delegate and two shadow representative elections, the Democratic candidate ran unopposed.

Delegate elections[edit]

Key for parties
  Democratic Party – (D)
  D.C. Statehood Green Party – (STG)
  D.C. Statehood Party – (ST)
  Independent candidate – (I)
  Libertarian Party – (LI)
  Republican Party – (R)
U.S. House delegate elections in the District of Columbia from 1871 to 1872 and 1971 to present
Year Winner Runner-up Other candidate[a] Ref.
Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes %
1871 Norton P. Chipman (R) 15,196 57.78% Richard T. Merrick (D) 11,104 42.22% — — — [4][11]
1872 Norton P. Chipman (R) 12,443 63.86% L. G. Hine (D) 7,042 36.14% — — — [4]
1971 Walter Fauntroy (D) 68,166 58.44% John A. Nevius (R) 29,249 25.08% Julius Hobson (ST) 15,427 13.23% [12]
1972 Walter Fauntroy (D) 95,300 60.64% William Chin-Lee (R) 39,487 25.12% Charles I. Cassell (ST) 18,730 11.92% [13]
1974 Walter Fauntroy (D) 66,337 63.78% James G. Banks (I) 21,874 21.03% William R. Phillips (R) 9,166 8.81% [14]
1976 Walter Fauntroy (D) 12,149 77.18% Daniel L. Hall (R) 1,076 6.84% Louis S. Aronica (ST) 545 0.32% [15]
1978 Walter Fauntroy (D) 76,557 79.59% Jackson R. Champion (R) 11,677 12.02% Gregory Rowe (ST) 3,886 4.04% [16]
1980 Walter Fauntroy (D) 111,631 74.44% Robert J. Roehr (R) 21,021 14.02% Josephine D. Butler (ST) 14,325 9.55% [17]
1982 Walter Fauntroy (D) 93,422 83.01% John West (R) 27,590 15.32% — — — [18]
1984 Walter Fauntroy (D) 154,583 95.56% — — — — — — [19]
1986 Walter Fauntroy (D) 101,604 80.09% Mary L. H. King (R) 17,643 13.91% Julie McCall (ST) 6,122 4.83% [20]
1988 Walter Fauntroy (D) 121,817 71.27% Ron Evans (R) 22,936 13.42% Alvin C. Frost (ST) 13,802 8.07% [21]
1990 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 98,442 61.67% Harry M. Singleton (R) 41,999 26.31% George X. Cure (I) 8,156 5.11% [22]
1992 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 166,808 84.78% Susan Emerson (R) 20,108 10.22% Susan Griffin (ST) 7,253 3.69% [23][24]
1994 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 154,988 89.25% Donald A. Saltz (R) 13,828 7.96% Rasco P. Braswell (ST) 2,824 1.63% [25][26]
1996 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 134,996 90.00% Sprague Simonds (R) 11,306 7.54% Faith Dane (I) 2,119 1.41% [27][28]
1998 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 122,228 89.64% Edward Henry Wolterbeek (R) 8,610 6.31% Pat Kidd (ST) 2,323 1.70% [29][30]
2000 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 158,824 90.43% Edward Henry Wolterbeek (R) 10,258 5.84% Rob Kampia (LI) 4,594 2.62% [31][32]
2002 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 119,268 93.01% Pat Kidd (I) 7,733 6.03% — — — [33][34]
2004 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 202,027 91.33% Michael Andrew Monroe (R) 18,296 8.27% — — — [35][36]
2006 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 111,726 97.34% — — — — — — [37][38]
2008 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 228,376 92.28% Maude Hills (STG) 16,693 6.75% — — — [39][40]
2010 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 117,990 88.94% Missy Reilly Smith (R) 8,109 6.11% Rick Tingling-Clemmons (STG) 4,413 3.33% [41][42]
2012 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 246,664 88.55% Bruce Majors (LI) 16,524 5.93% Natale Stracuzzi (STG) 13,243 4.75% [43][44]
2014 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 143,923 83.73% Nelson Rimensnyder (R) 11,673 6.79% Tim Krepp (I) 9,101 5.29% [45]
2016 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 265,178 88.13% Martin Moulton (LI) 18,713 6.22% Natale Stracuzzi (STG) 14,336 4.76% [46]
2018 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 199,124 87.04% Nelson Rimensnyder (R) 9,700 4.24% Natale Stracuzzi (STG) 8,636 3.77% [47]
2020 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 281,831 86.30% Patrick Hynes (LI) 9,678 2.96% Barbara Washington Franklin (I) 7,628 2.34% [48]
2022 Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) 174,238 86.54% Nelson Rimensnyder (R) 11,701 5.81% Natale Stracuzzi (STG) 9,867 4.90% [49]

Graph[edit]

The following graph shows the margin of victory of the Democratic Party over the runner-up in the 29 U.S. House delegate elections the District of Columbia has held, excluding the two during the 1870s.

Shadow representative elections[edit]

Key for parties
  Democratic Party – (D)
  D.C. Statehood Green Party – (STG)
  D.C. Statehood Party – (ST)
  Green Party – (G)
  Independent candidate – (I)
  Libertarian Party – (LI)
  Republican Party – (R)
U.S. House shadow representative elections in the District of Columbia from 1990 to present
Year Winner Runner-up Other candidate[a] Ref.
Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes %
1990 Charles J. Moreland (D) 92,764 73.53% Howard Lamar Jones (R) 17,867 14.16% Tom Chorlton (ST) 15,535 12.31% [50]
1992 Charles J. Moreland (D) 135,592 69.96% Paul McAllister (ST) 25,399 13.10% Gloria R. Corn (R) 25,035 12.92% [23]
1994 John Capozzi (D) 104,532 68.65% Edward D. Turpin (R) 18,756 12.32% Paul McAllister (ST) 14,147 9.29% [25]
1996 Sabrina Sojourner (D) 111,413 83.37% Gloria R. Corn (R) 20,240 15.15% — — — [27]
1998 Tom Bryant Jr. (D) 86,546 76.75% David VanWilliams (ST) 14,637 12.98% Mike Livingston (G) 9,479 8.41% [29]
2000 Ray Browne (D) 120,700 74.53% Martin Thomas (STG) 20,960 12.94% John Shumake (R) 15,382 9.50% [31]
2002 Ray Browne (D) 95,159 84.71% Adam Eidinger (STG) 15,611 13.90% — — — [33]
2004 Ray Browne (D) 168,693 86.30% Adam Eidinger (STG) 25,077 12.83% — — — [35]
2006 Mike Panetta (D) 82,759 77.47% Keith R. Ware (STG) 13,511 12.65% Nelson Rimensnyder (R) 9,700 9.08% [37]
2008 Mike Panetta (D) 187,362 85.87% Joyce Robinson-Paul (STG) 28,703 13.16% — — — [39]
2010 Mike Panetta (D) 101,207 82.35% Nelson Rimensnyder (R) 11,094 9.03% Joyce Robinson-Paul (STG) 9,489 7.72% [41]
2012 Nate Bennett-Fleming (D) 206,996 85.78% G. Lee Aikin (STG) 31,190 12.93% — — — [43]
2014 Franklin Garcia (D) 114,073 77.61% Joyce Robinson-Paul (STG) 19,982 13.59% Martin Moulton (LI) 11,002 7.48% [45]
2016 Franklin Garcia (D) 252,992 97.33% — — — — — — [46]
2018 Franklin Garcia (D) 197,299 96.94% — — — — — — [47]
2020 Oye Owolewa (D) 240,533 81.60% Joyce Robinson-Paul (STG) 27,128 9.20% Sohaer Rizvi Syed (I) 22,771 7.72% [48]
2022 Oye Owolewa (D) 151,182 83.63% Joyce Robinson-Paul (STG) 26,530 14.68% — — — [49]

Graph[edit]

The following graph shows the margin of victory of the Democratic Party over the runner-up in the 17 U.S. House shadow representative elections the District of Columbia has held.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b For purposes of these lists, other candidates are defined as those who were in third place. Write-in totals are not represented.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Grogg, Robert (2013). "Introduction: Where Oh Where Should the Capital Be?". White House Historical Association. Archived from the original on July 4, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "Organization of the House of Representatives". Constitution Annotated. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  3. ^ Ellis, Jessica (December 9, 2022). "Does Washington DC Have a Governor, Senators and Representatives?". United States Now. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Gibbs, C. R. (March 2, 1989). "The District Had a Voice, If Not a Vote, in the 42nd Congress". The Washington Post. p. DC3. Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via ProQuest.
  5. ^ "Delegate Walter Fauntroy of the District of Columbia". History, Art, & Archives. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  6. ^ Urbina, Ian (February 27, 2009). "Senators Tie Gun Issue to Capital-Vote Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  7. ^ Miller, S. A. (June 10, 2009). "Gun Provision Foils D.C. Voting Rights Bill". The Washington Times. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  8. ^ "S.160 - District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009". United States Congress. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  9. ^ Davis, Aaron C. (November 8, 2016). "District Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Referendum to Make D.C. the 51st State". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  10. ^ "What does DC's 'Shadow Delegation' to Congress Actually Do?". WUSA9. November 2, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  11. ^ "The Washington Election". The Baltimore Sun. April 20, 1871. p. 1. Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via ProQuest.
  12. ^ "DC Delegate Race - Mar 23, 1971". OurCampaigns. September 16, 2010. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  13. ^ Guthrie, Benjamin J.; Jennings, W. Pat (March 15, 1973). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 50. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  14. ^ Guthrie, Benjamin J.; Jennings, W. Pat (August 1, 1975). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 1974 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 41. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  15. ^ Guthrie, Benjamin J.; Henshaw, Edmund L., Jr. (April 15, 1977). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 1976 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 54. Retrieved December 26, 2022.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Guthrie, Benjamin J.; Henshaw, Edmund L., Jr. (April 1, 1979). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1978 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 40. Retrieved December 26, 2022.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Ladd, Thomas E.; Henshaw, Edmund L., Jr. (April 15, 1981). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 1980 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 70. Retrieved December 26, 2022.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Ladd, Thomas E.; Guthrie, Benjamin J. (May 5, 1983). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 1982 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 47. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  19. ^ Ladd, Thomas E.; Guthrie, Benjamin J. (May 1, 1985). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1984 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 66. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  20. ^ Dendy, Dallas L., Jr.; Anderson, Donald K. (May 29, 1987). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 1986 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 43. Retrieved December 26, 2022.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Dendy, Dallas L., Jr.; Anderson, Donald K. (April 20, 1989). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1988 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 55. Retrieved December 26, 2022.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Dendy, Dallas L., Jr.; Anderson, Donald K. (April 29, 1991). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1990 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 45. Retrieved December 26, 2022.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ a b "District of Columbia General Election - Final and Complete Election Results" (PDF). District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 13, 1992. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  24. ^ Dendy, Dallas L., Jr.; Anderson, Donald K. (May 31, 1993). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 3, 1992 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 80. Retrieved December 26, 2022.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ a b "November 8 General Election". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 18, 1994. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  26. ^ Carle, Robin H. (May 12, 1995). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1994 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 45. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  27. ^ a b "November 15 General Election". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 15, 1996. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  28. ^ Carle, Robin H. (June 21, 2001). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 3, 1998 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 76. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  29. ^ a b "November 13 General Election". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 13, 1998. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  30. ^ Trandahl, Jeff (January 3, 1999). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 3, 1998 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 48. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  31. ^ a b "November 7 General Election". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 17, 2000. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  32. ^ Trandahl, Jeff (June 21, 2001). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 2000 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 71-72. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  33. ^ a b "Certification Summary - Candidate". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 21, 2002. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  34. ^ Trandahl, Jeff (May 1, 2003). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 2002 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 50. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  35. ^ a b "Certified Summary Results" (PDF). District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 18, 2004. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  36. ^ Trandahl, Jeff (June 7, 2005). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 2004 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 59. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  37. ^ a b "Certified Official Results Report" (PDF). District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 21, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  38. ^ Miller, Lorraine C. (September 21, 2007). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 2006 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 49. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  39. ^ a b "Certified Election Results" (PDF). District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 24, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  40. ^ Miller, Lorraine C. (July 10, 2009). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 2008 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 69. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  41. ^ a b "General Election 2010 - Certified Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 19, 2010. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  42. ^ Haas, Karen L. (June 3, 2011). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 2010 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 56. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  43. ^ a b "General Election 2012 - Certified Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. April 14, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  44. ^ Haas, Karen L. (February 28, 2013). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 2012 (PDF) (Report). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 68. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  45. ^ a b "General Election 2014 - Certified Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. December 3, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  46. ^ a b "General Election 2016 - Certified Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. June 18, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  47. ^ a b "General Election 2018 - Certified Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 15, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  48. ^ a b "General Election 2020 - Certified Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. December 2, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  49. ^ a b "General Election 2022 - Certified Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. November 30, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  50. ^ "DC Shadow Representative Race - Nov 06, 1990". OurCampaigns. August 17, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
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