Board of Elections details costs, staffing and legal issues as Council questions ANC vacancy administration

The District of Columbia Board of Elections told the Council—s Committee on Executive Administration and Labor that administering contested Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) midterm vacancy elections, running special elections and meeting ballot-processing needs would require additional funding, staff time and legislative changes.

The board—s executive director, Ms. Evans, said the agency currently has $29,080 in its Help America Vote Act (HAVA) fund balance and recently received $272,727 from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. "The EAC will require the District Of Columbia to match these funds at 20% or $54,545 within 2 years," she said.

Why it matters: Council members pressed the board to describe what would be required if the Board of Elections were asked to conduct ANC contested midterm vacancy elections rather than leaving them with advisory neighborhood commissions and the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (OANC). The answers affect budget decisions, whether legislation is needed to shift responsibilities, and near-term planning for a Ward 8 special election.

Board procedures and legal limits

Ms. Evans told the committee the D.C. Code and charter distinguish ordinary elections (which the board administers) from methods for filling vacancies, and that the current law places responsibility for contested ANC midterm vacancy elections on the ANCs and the OANC. "Shifting the conduct of ANC midterm vacancy elections to the board, therefore, will require a legislative change," she said. She emphasized the board is not opposed to taking on the elections if the Council changes the law…