Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
The General Election is coming up on November 3, and early voting begins this Monday, October 26! Now is the time to make your plan to vote. By now, you should have received your mail-in ballot. You can turn that in at any Board of Elections drop box across the city, or you can make a plan to vote in-person during early voting, or vote on Election Day, November 3. Whatever method you choose, be sure to vote and play your part in our democracy. Not registered to vote? Same-day voter registration is available at the polls during Early Voting and Election Day voting.
Earlier this week, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an advisory on Protecting District Residents’ Right to Vote. In it, he reminds neighbors of their right to vote in a free and fair election without intimidation, coercion, or outside interference. If you witness or experience interference with our local elections, please report potential violations to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the DC Board of Elections (BOE).
I know concerns about election interference are especially heightened as the National Guard occupation and increased federal presence continue in the District. As the Attorney General states in his advisory, “An array of federal statutes bars federal employees, law enforcement, and the military from using their official power to interfere with an election.” Again, please report any concerns to the OAG and BOE.
I also continue to witness and hear from neighbors about increasing numbers of National Guard and other federal agents patrolling residential Ward 5 neighborhoods. I have been clear from the beginning of the occupation: it is unnecessary, unhelpful, and it is not making us any safer. Our National Guardsmen and women are heroes who are trained to respond to natural disasters and national emergencies, neither of which are occurring in the District. Not only this, but they are not trained to conduct the important work of community policing and relationship building necessary for true public safety. On November 5, the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety is holding a public hearing on Heightened Federal Law Enforcement and National Guard Activities in the District. I will be there to raise the many concerns I’ve heard from neighbors, and hope you will also considering submitting written testimony or signing up to testify.
