Run for ANC – and be where “the rubber meets the road on local politics”

We will be electing several new advisory neighborhood commissioners in January. Perhaps you will be one of them.

Between the redrawing of boundaries after the 2020 Census, and incumbents deciding against running again, there will be turnover at ANCs throughout the District. ANC 3F is no exception.

Come January, the ANC will have six seats instead of seven, as the southernmost boundary will move north to Tilden Street. Current 3F commissioner David Cristeal lives south of Tilden and has been redistricted out of the ANC. In addition, four of the other incumbents – Alexandria Appah, Dipa Mehta, Monika Nemeth and Stan Wall – will not be running for reelection. Claudette David (new 3F04) and James Tandaric (new 3F05) will be throwing their hats in the ring again.

The changes make the election on November 8th an important one for our neighborhood. Over the course of their two-year terms, commissioners can influence DC agencies and policies that impact life in our neighborhood. As a former ANC 3F commissioner wrote in 2017, “The ANC really is where the rubber meets the road on local politics.”

And now is your chance to be in the driver’s seat. Ballot petitions will be available from the DC Board of Elections starting on Wednesday, July 20th. The DCBOE website explains eligibility requirements and lists other necessary documents for those declaring their candidacy.

Once candidates have the petitions in hand, they must collect at least 25 signatures from other registered voters in their single member districts and turn in their petitions by Wednesday, August 10th. (It’s a good idea to collect more than 25 signatures in case there is a challenge.) The challenge period starts with petitions being posted on August 13th, and closes on August 22nd.

Greater Greater Washington, a nonprofit focused on housing and transportation advocacy, is conducting a training session at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 21st for would-be ANC candidates. The training will cover how to run for an ANC seat (including filing to get on the ballot and campaigning), the power of ANCs and how to use it, what makes a commissioner effective, and common mistakes and opportunities.

Chelsea Allinger, the executive director of GGWash and outgoing commissioner for ANC 1D05, will lead the training. Several other current commissioners will join her. You can sign up for the training here.

For a live look at our ANC in action, tune in to the July 19th virtual meeting at 7 p.m., or watch a replay.

We’re also happy to answer any questions you might have about running and serving. Contact us at info@foresthillsconnection.com or leave a comment.

And who knows? You might be serving at a historic time for advisory neighborhood commissions. As of October 2024, ANC commissioners could be earning stipends for their work. But first, the DC Council must pass new legislation that would establish a commission for the first review of compensation for public commissions and boards since 2002. ANCs are to be included in the review for the first time, and the legislation directs the compensation commission to recommend an appropriate stipend, “if any.”