Do you know what ANC you live in? Do you know which commissioner represents your SMD? Even if you think you do, they may have changed this year. Let us brief you on Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs), Single Member Districts (SMDs) and the change that happened with the new year.
What is an ANC?
ANCs are a non-partisan body of elected officials that represent local community members. Commissioners serve two-year terms without pay. All commissioners in all wards were newly sworn in January 2023. Each commissioner represents a SMD of approximately 2,000 residents. The ANCs’ main role in the District is to be their neighborhood’s official voice in advising the District government (and Federal agencies) on things that affect their neighborhoods.
As of January 2023, both the boundaries of the ANCs and the SMDs represented by each commissioner have changed, together with those representing them. The boundaries of the ANCs and SMDs are updated every ten years, based on the results of the latest decennial census.
The latest boundaries were approved by the DC Council on June 7, 2022 and by Mayor Muriel Bowser on June 16, 2022. Updated ANC and SMD boundaries were used for the November 8, 2022 General Election.
To see if your ANC or SMD boundary has changed, enter your address in the new 2023 Locate Your ANC/SMD tool at https://arcg.is/1PrKXG.
Changes to ANC Boundaries
In Ward 7, Kenilworth, Eastland Gardens, Mayfair-Parkside and River Terrace are now part of a reconstructed ANC 7D, which now goes south to East Capitol St. and across the river. ANC 7C includes Deanwood, Burrville and Lincoln Heights while ANC 7E now encompasses most of Marshall Heights and Benning Ridge. Greenway moves from 7F to ANC 7B, and ANC 7F now includes Fort Dupont, the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments and Hillbrook, as well as a portion west of the river.
The new boundaries of Ward 7 ANCs also include three neighborhoods west of the Anacostia: Kingman Park, included in 2000; the portion of Hill East that is east of 15th Street; and Rosedale. Both the latter were formerly in Ward 6. The Ward 7 Redistricting Taskforce incorporated these neighborhoods into two cross-river ANCs: 7D and 7F. Former residents of ANC 6A07, 6A08, 6B09 and 6B10 are now in Ward 7 ANCs 7D06, 7D07, 7D08 and 7D10.
Meanwhile, the former 7D01 retains the same boundaries but is now 7D05. ANC 7F07, which is entirely populated by the DC Jail, also remains the same. Phase 1 and 2 of Reservation 13 development, including the Park Kennedy Apartments (1901 C St. SE) and The Ethel (1901 C St. SE) are part of ANC 7F08.
Ward 8 has also been redrawn to include a west of the river commission, 8F, which includes Navy Yard and two ward 6 SMDs (8F04 and 8F05). East of the River, ANC 8B experienced the greatest amount of change, with much of 8B01 now in 8A; and much of Douglass-Shipley (formerly 8B07 and 8B06) now in 8E01, 02 and 03. Bolling Air Force Base is now split between 8D and 8C.
Changes in Representation
Many long-serving commissioners did not seek re-election in 2022. Tiffany Brown stepped down in 7B02, having watched Skyland come to fruition. After co-chairing the Ward 7 redistricting committee, Tamara Blair steps down in 7D01, now the new 7D05. Long-time commissioner Dorothy Douglas was redistricted into ANC 7C07 where incumbent commissioner Antawan Holmes defeated her in the election.
Write-in candidates represent several ANC 7C SMDs including 7C06 in Burrville, where Patricia Stamper won as a write-in candidate, and 7C03 east of Kelly Miller Park, now represented by Carlos Richardson.
Candidates were on the ballot for nearly all of the Hill East ANC 7D SMDs. In addition to Horn in 7D10, returning commissioner Brian Alcorn will represent constituents again in the new 7D08; Ashley Schapitl and Shane Seger are running to represent 7D09, Denise Krepp’s former ANC.
Brett Astmann was elected as a write-in for SMD 7D07, the SMD north of C and east of 15th Street NE. Wendell Felder was also elected as a write-in to represent communities in the area bound by Hayes and Jay Streets NE, Mayfair and Paradise-Parkside.
But there is no representative for SMD 7D02, between Hayes Street NE and Benning Road NE along the Anacostia; or for 7D10. There are also representatives needed for 7E03, on the east side of Benning Road to Southern Avenue SE. Commissioner Krystal Bagley was elected as a write-in candidate for 7E02, as were Timothy Howard in 7E05 and Evette (S.L.) Lang in 7E07.
Meanwhile, the areas east of 19th Street SE, south of Independence Avenue SE and north of the DC Jail are part of 7F07, a cross-river SMD that reaches Benning-Stoddart Recreation Center near Fort Chaplin Park. That SMD is represented by returning Commissioner Shirley Thompson-Wright. The DC Central Detention Facility and Correctional Treatment Facility are located in 7F08, bordered by 19th Street SE, the Congressional Cemetery and the river. That SMD is represented by Leonard Eugene Bishop.
Incumbent Brittany N. Hughes again represents 7F05. But 7F04, from Eads Place to East Capitol Street NE; and 7F06, to the north of Fort Dupont Park, are still without representation.
Ward 8
In Ward 8, Four of seven commissioners were re-elected in ANC 8A, including Barbara J. Clark, Holly Muhammad (8A03), Laenice Moore (8A04) Jamila White (8A05) and Robin McKinney (8A06). Newly elected are Tonya Crawford (8A01) and LaVerne Glann (8A07), the latter victorious as a write-in.
Salim Adofo (8C07), Cheryl Moore (8C05, formerly 8E02) and Robbie Woodland (8C06, formerly 8C03) return to office joining six new commissioners.
Three write-in candidates join ANC 8D, Jacqueline Kinlow (8D01), Sandra Harrell (8D03) and Natasha Yates (8D07). But there are no representatives for 8D02 or 8D04. Those SMDs include Blue Plains and a portion of Bolling Air Force Base. Travon Hawkins returns to office for 8D05 and Wendy Hamilton (8D06) and Lakiah Williams (8D08) come newly to the commission.
Deborah Wells (8E01), Kelly Mikel Williams (8E03) Rowena “Joyce” Scott (8E08) and Rhonda K. Holmes are newcomers to ANC 8E. Returning are LaQeda Tate (8E02), Kendall Simmons (8E04), Duane Moody (8E05), and Dolores Bryant (8E06). There is no representative for 8E07, south of Washington Highlands.
Edward Daniels, former representative of 6D07, returns to represent the newly defined 6/8F04. He is joined by newcomers Nic Wilson (8F01) representing the area from Virgina Avenue SE to the river, and roughly Fourth Street to 11th Street SE. Rick Murphree represents 6/8F02, an area from M Street SE south to the river and from South Capitol Street SE to Fourth Street SE. Brian Strege represents 6/8F03, from Virginia Avenue to M Street SE and New Jersey Avenue to Third Street (plus one block south of L Street SE). Daniels represents the area from I Street SE to M Street SE and from South Capitol Street to New Jersey Avenue SE, with the exception of a block north of K Street along New Jersey Avenue. That block is part of 6/8F05, bounded otherwise on the south by I Street SE and to the north by the Southeast Freeway, and by South Capitol Street and New Jersey Avenue to east and west. It is represented by newcomer Clayton Aristotle Rosenberg.
You can find your ANC and SMD by visiting https://openanc.org/index.html.Learn more about ANCs at anc.dc.gov. To see if your ANC or SMD boundary has changed, go to the new 2023 Locate Your ANC/SMD at https://arcg.is/1PrKXG
