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Council approves funding to implement Initiative 83 open‑primary provisions
Summary
Councilmember Henderson's amendment to fund implementation of Initiative 83's open‑primary provisions was adopted; the amendment directs $965,250 from the workforce investment account across FY27–FY29 to support Board of Elections work and implementation planning for independent voter participation.
The D.C. Council approved an amendment to the FY2027 budget to fund implementation of Initiative 83 provisions that would allow unaffiliated (independent) voters to participate in primary elections. Councilmember Henderson moved the amendment, saying it would "complete the work that the voters asked us to do" and proposed $965,250 taken from the workforce investment account spread across FY2027–FY2029, with later-year costs addressed in the financial plan.
Members engaged in extended questioning about the total cost of implementation, whether the Board of Elections' estimates are complete, and how the change interacts with petition rules and ballot distribution. Councilmember Bonds asked bluntly about overall costs: "What is it really going to cost?" Budget staff said the Board of Elections submitted an updated fiscal impact statement the day before with an added $50,000 to its estimate and that the larger costs likely fall in FY2028 when a traditional election year begins. Several councilmembers expressed support while others voiced concerns about using workforce investment funds as the source. The amendment passed (the ayes have it) with two recorded no votes and two members recorded present.
