NationBuilder

Four years ago, following the 2016 general election, I sent the email below. In it, I reflected and shared what it meant to me personally, but also promised that no matter the outcome, I would work and fight for the District of Columbia to protect us from efforts to erode our rights and shared values. From leading the charge with Hands Off DC when Congress tried to overturn our local laws, to protecting women's access to health care services gained under the Affordable Care Act, to creating protections for immigrant neighbors and refugees from a hostile federal government, or to the hard work of responding to a pandemic where local government stepped up when our federal government stood down, I’m proud of what we’ve done together.

Four years later, the outcome of the 2020 general election has me more hopeful for our future and the possibilities that lie ahead. Casting our own ballots with our children by our sides again, my wife and I shared with them the hope and aspirations that our votes could mean. And we also tried to instill in them a bedrock principle that every vote must be counted so that every voice will be heard. I know many of you, perhaps exhausted from days of checking the news for the latest tallies and vote counts, also share in that hope for a brighter day.

Let me also share a few election-related updates. While a few ballots still remain to be counted by the Board of Elections, some things are very clear. First off, Ward 6 voters turned out in big, big numbers! More than 50,000 ballots were cast in Ward 6 alone – that’s almost 11,000 more than any other ward in the District. As goes Ward 6, so goes the city! And second, giving voters the option to vote by mail and at a secure drop boxes, in addition to our traditional in-person early and Election Day voting, expanded the ease, accessibility, and safety of casting ballots for many voters. In Ward 6 (as well as city-wide) roughly two-thirds of voters used the mail or drop-box option, with approximately one-third opting for in-person voting. In my mind, we need to make these additional options for voting permanent and I’ll be introducing legislation to do just that. I think that’s especially true for the secure drop boxes, as they were the main way people voted in DC, with 149,032 using the drop boxes to return their ballots out of 318,965 votes cast (that’s 47% of all ballots and was far and away the most frequent way people voted).

My congratulations go out to the winners of this election, especially Robert White and Christina Henderson, At-Large Councilmembers who will be great partners for our Ward 6 priorities, and also to all of our Ward 6 ANC Commissioners who work so hard to make our communities better. And my thanks go out to all the candidates, volunteers, election and poll workers who made this a success. In our local races, please remember there are many candidates who ran and did not win. They, their families, friends, and volunteers put their hearts and hard work into their campaigns. They may not have won, but they deserve gratitude for putting themselves out there and offering a vision for the city they love.

I’ve heard from many of you that our election update newsletters were very helpful in navigating one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. I’m so glad that I could get you the information you needed, answer the questions you had, and protect your voice and vote in this historic election. And now, like after any election, we turn to the hard work ahead -- from education to gun violence, to a pandemic, to a damaged economy and lost jobs, to racial inequities that impact our city, and so much more. I’ll be returning our email newsletter to critical updates and information about our community and city on Monday with a fresh update.

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From: Charles Allen <[email protected]>
Sent: November 11, 2016
Subject: Ward 6 Neighborhood Update - Election Edition

Friend --

Like many, I was shocked and disappointed with the outcome of the Presidential election.

We voted on Tuesday as a family. My wife and I were proud to take our daughter and son with us to cast our votes. I had such a positive feeling as I filled in the bubbles and then held my daughter up to slide my ballot into the machine to be counted. It was a historic election. And as frustrated as I am with the outcome, I refuse to let that memory be tarnished or that moment be minimized when I tell her the world of possibilities I want for her and her future.

As the next President takes office early in the New Year, I am concerned about what a hostile White House, a hostile Senate, and a hostile House of Representatives holds for the self-determination of the District of Columbia. I’ve already heard from many of you with concerns about what it could mean – from far-away members of Congress wanting to test their pet programs here, to the NRA-backed efforts to see open-carry gun laws on our streets, to the erosion of the protections we’ve built into law against discrimination and hate. Make no mistake, I will not budge an inch and I will not compromise the integrity of local government and accountability to fight for you and each and every one of our neighbors. And I know you expect nothing less.

Turning to the local side of the election, there are certainly some bright spots we can celebrate. Ward 6 elected 11 new, and re-elected 26, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners to serve our neighborhoods. Congratulations to all of our Commissioners and deep appreciation for every candidate who put their name on a ballot and asked neighbors for their support. It takes guts to run for office and we’re all better for your service and your efforts.

Ward 6 also set some big-time election records! While the count is not quite official yet, there are some great numbers to report. First, Ward 6 saw an impressive 63% voter turnout! We also led the way for the entire District in several important categories (and that’s not counting absentee ballots which have yet to be reported):

18,617 early votes cast – 4,000 more than any other Ward in the District.
29,049 Election Day votes cast – 4,000 more than any other Ward in the District.
47,666 total votes cast – 9,000 more than any other Ward in the District.

In addition, 84% of Ward 6 voters supported the DC Statehood referendum. Admittedly, Tuesday’s national election makes the path toward statehood and full representation more difficult, but it’s a cause and fight we can’t allow to stop – and I will continue to look for allies, both traditional and maybe even the unexpected, to work toward this long-term goal.

Thank you again to everyone who let your voice be heard and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Charles Allen