Science

Gay Libertarian Party activist wins DC primary as write-in candidate – Washington Blade

Voters in 13 of the city’s 144 electoral precincts that LGBTQ activists have long said include a high concentration of LGBTQ residents and voters divided their vote between D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Councilmember Robert White, her lead rival, in the city’s June 21 Democratic primary.

In the D.C. Board of Elections final but unofficial vote tally for the primary, which it released on July 3, Bowser beat Robert White (D-At-Large) in seven of the 13 so-called LGBTQ precincts. Robert White won in six of the precincts. The two mayoral candidates won or lost in the 13 precincts mostly by a close margin of less than 5 percent.

The other two Democratic mayoral candidates, Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White and former attorney and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner James Butler, received less than 10 percent of the vote in each of the 13 precincts in question.

The precincts include the neighborhoods of Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Shaw, Capitol Hill, Anacostia, and the Southwest Waterfront. 

In the race for the D.C. Council Chair, incumbent Phil Mendelson and his only Democratic opponent, attorney and community activist Erin Palmer, each won six of the 13 LGBTQ precincts. The two finished in a tie vote in Precinct 90, which is part of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, with each receiving 294 votes or 49.75 percent of the vote in that precinct, according to the Board of Elections final returns.

In the At-Large Council race, incumbent Councilmember Anita Bonds (D-At-Large), a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ community, did not fare as well as Bowser and Mendelson in the LGBTQ precincts. Bonds won in just three of the 13 precincts – those in Logan Circle, Shaw, and Anacostia.

Among her three opponents in the four-candidate race in the primary, attorney Nate Fleming won six of the precincts and ANC Commissioner Lisa Gore won in four of the LGBTQ precincts.

The fourth candidate running for the at-large seat, former DC Council staffer and former Howard University community relations official Dexter Williams, received less than 10 percent of the vote in each of the 13 precincts and lost in all of them.

The candidates challenging Bonds for the at-large Council seat – as well as all the Democratic candidates running for mayor and the Council Chair seat – expressed strong support for LGBTQ rights. Bonds’s poor showing in the LGBTQ precincts suggests that at least some LGBTQ voters may have voted for Fleming and Gore instead of Bonds based on other issues.

Bonds won the primary with 35.85 percent of the vote, with Gore receiving 28.08 percent of the vote and Fleming receiving 27.73 percent, according to the Board of Elections final vote count.

In the race for mayor, Bowser won the primary with 49.01 percent of the citywide vote. Robert White received 40.5 percent, Trayon White received 8.79 percent, and Butler received 1.38 percent.

 In the Council chair race, Mendelson, a longtime LGBTQ rights supporter, won the citywide vote with 53.16 percent compared to challenger Palmer, who received 46.44 percent.

Four of the 13 precincts considered to have a high concentration of LGBTQ residents and voters are in Ward 1. They include Precincts 24 and 25 in Adams Morgan and Precincts 23 and 36 in Columbia Heights.

The final vote count for those four precincts show that incumbent Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1) beat her gay opponent in the Ward 1 race, former D.C. police officer Salah Czapary, in each of the four precincts. Nadeau won in three of the four precincts by a margin greater than 10 percent of the vote.

In a development that surprised some in the LGBTQ community, Capital Stonewall Democrats, the city’s largest local LGBTQ political organization, endorsed Nadeau over Czapary in the Ward 1 Council race. Czapary received the endorsement of the national LGBTQ Victory Fund as well as from the Washington Post and former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams.

Activists following the race have said LGBTQ voters who backed Nadeau were clearly basing their vote on issues other than LGBTQ rights, for which Nadeau and a third candidate in the race, community activist Sabel Harris, have expressed support.

Nadeau won the Ward 1 primary with 48.46 percent of the vote. Czapary received 30.94 percent, with Harris receiving 20.36 percent.

In the Ward 5 D.C. Council contest, gay D.C. Board of Education member Zachary Parker won the primary in a seven-candidate race, placing him in a strong position to win the November general election and become the first openly gay member of the D.C. Council since 2015. The Blade couldn’t immediately identify precincts in Ward 5 that may have significant numbers of LGBTQ voters.

In the mayor’s race, Bowser and Robert White each won and lost one of the two LGBTQ precincts in Dupont Circle and Logan Circle by close margins. Bowser beat Robert White in Dupont Circle Precinct 14 by a margin of 50.26 percent to 45.42 percent. But Robert White won in the adjacent Dupont Circle Precinct 15 by a margin of 49.0 percent to 48.17 percent over Bowser.

The mayor won the Logan Circle Precinct 16 by a vote of 54.29 percent compared to Robert White, who received 41.12 percent. In the Logan Circle Precinct 17, Robert White beat Bowser by a margin of 48.29 percent to 46.33 percent.

DC Democratic Primary

June 21, 2022

Final Pre-Certified Citywide Vote Count

Board of Elections

DC MAYOR

James Butler                        1,753            1.38%

Muriel Bowser                   62,391           49.01%

Trayon White                     11,193             8.79%

Robert White                     51,557            40.5%

Write-In                                    406             0.32%

DC Democratic Primary

June 21, 2022

Final Pre-Certified Precinct Vote Count

Precincts with High Concentration of LGBTQ voters

Board of Elections

DC MAYOR

Precinct 14 – Dupont Circle

James Butler              21                2.16%

*Muriel Bowser       488             50.26%

Trayon White             16              1.65%

Robert White           441            45.42%

Write-In                        5               0.51%

Precinct 15 – Dupont Circle

James Butler                16               1.33%

Muriel Bowser           579            48.17%                

Trayon White               17               1.41%

*Robert White           589               49.0%

Write-In                          2               0.17%

Precinct 16 – Logan Circle

James Butler                 21                1.55%

*Muriel Bowser            734             54.29%

Trayon White               34                2.51%

Robert White               556             41.12%

Write-In                            7               0.23%

Precinct 17 – Logan Circle

James Butler                 32                 2.24%

Muriel Bowser             663              46.33%

Trayon White                 43                 3.0%

*Robert White             691             48.29%

Write-In                              2               0.14%

Precinct 24 – Adams Morgan

James Butler                     14                    1.2%

Muriel Bowser                 541               46.48%

Trayon White                       9                  0.77%

*Robert White                   594                51.03%

Write-In                                6                  0.52%

Precinct 25 – Adams Morgan

James Butler                      20                       1.1%

Muriel Bowser                  883                 48.49%

Trayon White                      19                   1.94%

*Robert White                    895                 49.15%

Write-In                                  4                   0.23%

Precinct 23 – Columbia Heights          

James Butler                       20                       1.87%

Muriel Bowser                  455                      42.6%

Trayon White                      49                       4.59% 

*Robert White                  541                   50.66% 

Write-In                                 3                        0.58%

Precinct 36 – Columbia Heights

James Butler                     18                         1.32%

Muriel Bowser                 508                     37.27%

Trayon White                   102                       7.48%

*Robert White                 731                     53.63%

Write-In                                5                        0.39%

Precinct 129 – Shaw

James Butler                         43                        1.67%

*Muriel Bowser              1,300                       50.37%                

Trayon White                     148                          5.73%

Robert White                  1,081                       41.88%

Write-In                                   9                          0.35%

Precinct 89 – Capitol Hill

James Butler                       12                              0.98%

*Muriel Bowser               677                            55.22%

Trayon White                      14                             1.14%

Robert White                    521                             42.5%

Write-In                                 2                              0.16%

Precinct 90 – Capitol Hill

James Butler                       7                                  1.14%

*Muriel Bowser               349                               56.75%

Trayon White                     11                                 1.79%

Robert White                   246                                 40.0%

Write-In                                3                                  0.51%

Precinct 127 – Southwest Waterfront

James Butler                        13                                0.84%

*Muriel Bowser                778                             50.23%

Trayon White                     128                               8.26%

Robert White                     628                             40.54%

Write-In                                  2                                0.13%

Precinct 112 – Anacostia

James Butler                      18                                       3.59%

*Muriel Bowser              277                                     45.35%

Trayon White                   107                                    21.36%

Robert White                   148                                    29.54%

Write-In                                 1                                        0.2%

DC Democratic Primary

June 21, 2022

Final Pre-Certified Citywide Vote Count

Board of Elections

DC COUNCIL CHAIR

Erin Palmer                                   56,671                            46.44%

*Phil Mendelson                          64,877                            53.16%

Write-In                                               406                              0.32%

DC Democratic Primary

June 21, 2022

Final Pre-Certified Precinct Vote Count

Precincts With High Concentration of LGBTQ Voters

Board of Elections

DC COUNCIL CHAIR

Precinct 14 – Dupont Circle

*Erin Palmer                                 492                             52.34%

Phil Mendelson                            446                             47.45%

Write-In                                             2                                0.21%

Precinct 15 – Dupont Circle

*Erin Palmer                               627                              53.5%

Phil Mendelson                          543                            46.33%

Write-In                                           2                               0.17%

Precinct 16 – Logan Circle

Erin Palmer                                    580                              44.68%

*Phil Mendelson                           715                              55.08%

Write-In                                              3                                 0.23%

Precinct 17 – Logan Circle

*Erin Palmer                                  739                               54.02%

Phil Mendelson                             628                               45.91%

Write-In                                               1                                 0.07%

Precinct 24 – Adams Morgan        

*Erin Palmer                                 593                                  53.09%

Phil Mendelson                            522                                  46.73%

Write-In                                             2                                     0.18%

Precinct 25 – Adams Morgan

Erin Palmer                                  866                                   48.93%

*Phil Mendelson                        900                                   50.85%

Write-In                                            4                                      0.23%

Precinct 23 – Columbia Heights

*Erin Palmer                              546                                    53.46%

Phil Mendelson                         474                                      46.2%

Write-In                                          6                                       0.58%

Precinct 36 – Columbia Heights

*Erin Palmer                             746                                        58.37%

Phil Mendelson                        527                                        41.24%

Write-In                                         5                                           0.39%

Precinct 129 – Shaw

Erin Palmer                              1,144                                     46.62%

*Phil Mendelson                    1,299                                     52.93%

Write-In                                          11                                       0.45%

Precinct 89 – Capitol Hill

Erin Palmer                              556                                         46.8%

*Phil Mendelson                    629                                       52.95%

Write-In                                        3                                         0.25%

Precinct 90 – Capitol Hill

Erin Palmer                             294                                        49.75%

Phil Mendelson                      294                                        49.75%

Write-In                                       3                                           0.51%

Precinct 127 – Southwest Waterfront

Erin Palmer                            674                                         45.66%

*Phil Mendelson                  796                                         53.93%

Write-In                                      6                                            0.41%

Precinct 112 – Anacostia

Erin Palmer                            168                                         35.52%

*Phil Mendelson                  303                                         64.06%

Write-In                                      2                                            0.42%

DC Democratic Primary

June 21, 2022

Final Pre-Certified Citywide Vote Count

Board of Elections

DC COUNCIL AT-LARGE

Lisa Gore                                      33,225                     28.08%

Nate Fleming                               32,815                     27.73%

*Anita Bonds                               42,421                     35.85%

Dexter Williams                            9,356                        7.91%

Write-In                                             504                        0.43%

DC Democratic Primary

June 21, 2022

Final Pre-Certified Precinct Vote Count

Precincts With High Concentration of LGBTQ Voters

Board of Elections

DC COUNCIL AT-Large

Precinct 14 – Dupont Circle

Lisa Gore                                     309                             34.14%

*Nate Fleming                            311                             34.36%

Anita Bonds                                207                              22.87%

Dexter Williams                           72                                7.96%

Write-In                                          6                                 0.21%

Precinct 15 – Dupont Circle

*Lisa Gore                                  421                               38.34%

Nate Fleming                             355                               32.33%

Anita Bond                                 222                               20.22%

Dexter Williams                          97                                 8.83%

Precinct 16 – Logan Circle

Lisa Gore                                    371                               29.87%

*Nate Fleming                          437                               35.19%

Anita Bonds                               350                                28.18%

Dexter Williams                          82                                   6.6%

Write-In                                         2                                    0.16%

Precinct 17 – Logan Circle

*Lisa Gore                                413                                 30.87%

Nate Fleming                            401                                 29. 97%

Anita Bonds                              420                                 31.39%

Dexter Williams                       101                                    7.55%

Write-In                                         3                                     0.22$

Precinct 24 – Adams Morgan

*Lisa Gore                                384                                     36.4%

Nate Fleming                           330                                     31.28%

Anita Bonds                             261                                     24.74%

Dexter Williams                        80                                        7.58%

Write-In                                       0                                              0%

Precinct 25 – Adams Morgan

Lisa Gore                                 571                                        34.19%

*Nate Fleming                       595                                         35.63%

Anita Bonds                           362                                          21.68%

Dexter Williams                    132                                            7.9%

Write-In                                    10                                            0.6%

Precinct 23 – Columbia Heights

*Lisa Gore                            336                                            34.46%

Nate Fleming                       273                                            28.0%

Anita Bonds                         278                                            28.51%

Dexter Williams                    85                                              8.72%

Write-In                                   3                                               0.31%

Precinct 36 – Columbia Heights

*Lisa Gore                             418                                             33.76%

Nate Fleming                      318                                             25.69%

Anita Bonds                        386                                             31.18%

Dexter Williams                 112                                               9.05%

Write-In                                   4                                               0.32%

Precinct 129 – Shaw

Lisa Gore                            662                                            28.03%

Nate Fleming                     695                                            29.42%

*Anita Bonds                     800                                            33.87%

Dexter Williams                195                                              8.26%

Write-In                               10                                               0.42%

Precinct 89 – Capitol Hill

Lisa Gore                          336                                               29.87%

*Nate Fleming                460                                               40.89%

Anita Bonds                     254                                               22.58%

Dexter Williams                68                                                  6.04%

Write-In                               7                                                   0.62%

Precinct 90 – Capitol Hill

Lisa Gore                        164                                                 29.55%

*Nate Fleming              206                                                 37.12%

Anita Bonds                   153                                                 27.57%

Dexter Williams              30                                                   5.41%

Write-In                             2                                                    0.36%

Precinct 127 – Southwest Waterfront

Lisa Gore                      323                                                  22.62%

Nate Fleming               394                                                  27.59%

*Anita Bonds               594                                                    41.6%

Dexter Williams          115                                                    8.05%

Write-In                            2                                                    0.14%

Precinct 112 – Anacostia

Lisa Gore                      74                                                     15.95%

Nate Fleming              103                                                     22.2%

*Anita Bonds              249                                                    53.66%

Dexter Williams            37                                                     7.97%

Write-In                           1                                                      0.22%