The posts of shadow United States senator and shadow United States representative are held by elected or appointed government officials from subnational polities of the United States that lack congressional vote. While these officials are not seated in either chamber of Congress,they seek recognition for their subnational polity,up to full statehood. This would enfranchise them with full voting rights on the floor of the US House and Senate,alongside existing states. As of 2021,only the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico currently have authorized shadow delegations to Congress.
Carol Schwartz is an American politician from Washington,D.C.,who served as a Republican at-large member on the Council of the District of Columbia from 1985 to 1989 and again from 1997 to 2009. A five-time perennial candidate for mayor,she is the only Republican nominee since the restoration of home rule to garner more than 30 percent of the vote. She announced her fifth campaign for mayor on June 9,2014 finishing behind Muriel Bowser and David Catania. In 2015,she was appointed to the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability by Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Philip Heath Mendelson is an American politician from Washington,D.C. He is currently Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia,elected by the Council on June 13,2012,following the resignation of Kwame R. Brown. He was elected to serve the remainder of Brown's term in a citywide special election on November 6,2012,and re-elected to a full term in 2014 and 2018.
Vincent Bernard Orange,Sr. is a former American politician from Washington,D.C.,and former president of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce. An attorney and a certified public accountant,Orange represented Ward 5 on the Council of the District of Columbia from 1999 to 2007,and was an at-large member from 2011 to 2016. He lost the June 2016 Democratic primary election to Robert White. Although his term was not due to end until January 2,2017,Orange resigned from the council effective August 15,2016,in the wake of conflict of interest charges over his new employment at the Chamber of Commerce.
Paul Eric Strauss is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States shadow senator from the District of Columbia since 1997. He succeeded Jesse Jackson,the first person to hold the elected position of a shadow senator for Washington,D.C. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
John K. Evans III is an American lawyer and politician who served on the Council of the District of Columbia from 1991 to 2020 before resigning due to numerous ethics violations. Evans served as the chairman of the board of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) until its ethics committee found he violated conflict of interest rules. A member of the Democratic Party,he represented Ward 2 of Washington,D.C. from May 1991 to January 2020,making him the D.C. Council's longest-serving lawmaker. He ran for Mayor in 1998 and 2014,but lost in the Democratic primary both times.
The District of Columbia holds general elections every two years to fill various D.C. government offices,including mayor,attorney general,members of the D.C. Council,members of the D.C. State Board of Education,and members of its Advisory Neighborhood Commissions. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies at other points in time. Additionally,citywide ballot measures may be proposed and voted on.
The District of Columbia Republican Party is the District of Columbia affiliate of the United States Republican Party. It was founded on June 19,1855,and is made up of registered Republican voters living in Washington,D.C. elected to serve as the governing body of the Party. The party chairman is Jose Cunningham and the party is housed in the District of Columbia alongside the Republican Party national headquarters.
Michael Donald Brown is an American politician serving as the junior United States shadow senator from the District of Columbia,having served since 2007.
Yvette M. Alexander 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,Alexander started a health care consulting practice.
The District of Columbia Democratic State Committee is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the District of Columbia.
Anita Bonds is an American Democratic politician in Washington,D.C. She is an at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia. She served as the Chair of the District of Columbia Democratic Party from 2006 to 2018. She worked as an executive at Fort Myer Construction,a District contractor.
Calvin H. Gurley is an accountant and perennial candidate living in Washington,D.C.
Sabrina Sojourner was the District of Columbia's Shadow Representative for the at-large district from January 1997 until 1999. Serving as the third individual in the position,preceded by John Capozzi. She served a single term as Shadow Representative,not seeking reelection in 1999. Sojourner is a member of the Democratic Party.
On November 3,2020,the District of Columbia held a U.S. House of Representatives election for its shadow representative. Unlike its non-voting delegate,the shadow representative is only recognized by the district and is not officially sworn or seated.
On November 15,1996,the District of Columbia held a U.S. House of Representatives election for its shadow representative. Unlike its non-voting delegate,the shadow representative is only recognized by the district and is not officially sworn or seated. One-term incumbent John Capozzi declined to run for reelection and was succeeded by fellow Democrat Sabrina Sojourner.
On November 8,1994,the District of Columbia held a U.S. House of Representatives election for its shadow representative. Unlike its non-voting delegate,the shadow representative is only recognized by the district and is not officially sworn or seated. Two-term incumbent and inaugural office-holder Charles Moreland declined to run for reelection and was succeeded by fellow Democrat John Capozzi.
On November 3,1992,the District of Columbia held a U.S. House of Representatives election for its shadow representative. Unlike its non-voting delegate,the shadow representative is only recognized by the district and is not officially sworn or seated. One-term incumbent and inaugural office-holder Charles Moreland ran for reelection and won.
In 2020,a general election for Council of the District of Columbia was held on November 3,and a special election was held on June 27. Elections were held in four of the districts and one at-large. The Democratic Party retained its control of the city council and the council became majority female for the first time since the 1998 election.
On November 8,2022,a general election was held for the Council of the District of Columbia. Elections were held in four ward districts as well as for Chairperson of the council and two at-large seats.
