We did it: DC will let independents vote
The DC Council voted to fund semi-open primaries, allowing DC's 85,000 independent voters to vote in a party primary. See the statement below from Lisa D. T. Rice, the proposer of Initiative 83. Thank you to the Councilmembers who voted yes — and the voters who demanded it.
Help us thank the Councilmembers who #LetUsVote! Find them in the chart below, then click the email address to send a quick thank-you in 60 seconds.
Sample Thank-You Email (edit before sending)
Subject: Thank you for funding Initiative 83
Dear Councilmember [LAST NAME],
My name is [NAME] and I am a DC resident. Thank you for the Council's decision to fully fund Initiative 83 and give DC's 85,000 independent voters full access to our primaries. This victory is more than a decade in the making, and it makes our democracy stronger. #LetUsVote
Thank you,
[NAME]
| Ward / Seat | Councilmember | Vote on Semi-Open Primaries* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| At-Large (Chairman) | Phil Mendelson | ✗ No | [email protected] |
| At-Large | Anita Bonds | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| At-Large | Robert C. White, Jr. | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| At-Large | Christina Henderson | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| At-Large | Doni Crawford | ~ Present | [email protected] |
| Ward 1 | Brianne K. Nadeau | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| Ward 2 | Brooke Pinto | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| Ward 3 | Matthew Frumin | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| Ward 4 | Janeese Lewis George | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| Ward 5 | Zachary Parker | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| Ward 6 | Charles Allen | ✓ Yes | [email protected] |
| Ward 7 | Wendell Felder | ✗ No | [email protected] |
| Ward 8 | Trayon White, Sr. | ~ Present | [email protected] |
* Vote refers to the June 23, 2026 roll call to fully fund the semi-open primaries component of Initiative 83 (Henderson amendment), which passed 9–2–2.
Statement from Lisa D. T. Rice
“This is a victory that is more than a decade in the making. In 2014, the first ranked choice voting and open primaries bills were introduced in Council – together – but languished for years. In 2023, DC voters took our fate into our own hands and launched Make All Votes Count DC. We kept those two reforms together and put Initiative 83 on the ballot, and in 2024 – after 10 years of inaction – a supermajority of DC voters chose to reform our elections.”
“Last year, Councilmembers Henderson and Nadeau led the charge to fund ranked choice voting. But the final budget vote left 85,000 independents disenfranchised for the most consequential elections in a generation. Today, we resolved that injustice.”
“I am thrilled the Council has demonstrated they agree with voters that the system works best when more people can participate. In an era of mass dilution of voting rights, this is a victory for our democracy in DC and across the country. DC voters have proven that, though democracy is not guaranteed, it can grow stronger if we never give up on fighting for it.”
“My colleagues and I are filled with gratitude for the Councilmembers who stood with the voters of DC on fully funding Initiative 83. Councilmember Henderson picked up the mantle for semi-open primaries, and we could not be more appreciative of her work to bring the amendment to a vote. We thank Councilmember Pinto, who led the effort last year, and Councilmembers Allen, Frumin, Lewis George, Nadeau, Parker, and Robert White, for their support.”
“We are grateful for the many friends and supporters who sent emails, made phone calls, rallied neighbors, and amplified the importance of this issue within their networks and on social media. And, of course, this victory belongs to DC voters, who said loud and clear that EVERYONE should be able to exercise their franchise.”