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City Cast DC

The time has come for D.C. Council to settle the debate that has taken over local transit politics for weeks — fix K Street, or make buses free. City Cast DC's newest member Susannah Brown is here to break it down.

Mayor Bowser has been a staunch advocate for the K Street Transitway project for years. 

 the city allocated $122 million to make the downtown area more efficient and safer. The plan includes a car-free bus lane and new tree-lined traffic islands to aid pedestrians. It originally included a two-way protected bike lane that has been 

However, Council Chair Phil Mendelson and Councilmember Charles Allen want to pause the K Street project and put those funds towards fare-free buses.

do we make our transit more efficient or do we make it free?

Some argue that the benefits of the K Street Transitway are more immediately evident, citing safety, traffic solutions, and a revitalization of downtown D.C.

Others point out that many people riding the bus tend to have significantly lower incomes than the general population, which makes the free bus proposal a question of equity.

We’ll know more on Tuesday when D.C. Council holds its first vote on the proposed $19.7 billion fiscal 2024 budget.

Have a strong opinion on this transit feud? Let your councilmember know! 

Find out who your representatives are here

hear more about the opposing sides of this heated debate

Local Civics: The transit debate comes to a vote. Efficient or free?

What's being decided in DC City Hall and why it matters. We monitor local elections, political news, and DC City Council.

DC Election and City Hall News

Local Civics

A new initiative could dramatically change how we vote, and who votes when, in the District. The initiative’s organizing group, Make All Votes Count DC, filed the proposal with the D.C. Board of Elections last week.

There are two major changes on the table:

The initiative would allow 85,000 voters who are unaffiliated with a political party to still vote in the partisan primary of their choice. Right now, if you aren’t officially registered with a political party, you can’t participate, which some see as a form of voter suppression.

It could change how votes in D.C.’s elections are tallied starting in 2026. Ranked choice voting lets voters rank candidates in order of preference. So, if no one wins the majority, the bottom contender is dropped and votes are recalculated using voters’ next choice. It keeps going until there’s a candidate with a majority of votes. The hope is this will encourage voters to choose the candidates they really support, rather than just the ones they think will win.

Ranked choice voting was previously introduced in 2021 but was shot down by the D.C. Democratic State Committee who said it was too confusing. It said that in New York, this system perpetuated inequality because voters in rich neighborhoods used all their available votes, while those in lower-income areas didn’t. The initiative’s proponents say this criticism is “insulting and is a fear tactic.”

To move forward, the campaign will have to get signatures from 5% of D.C.’s registered voters, in at least five of the eight wards. Then, all voters would get to weigh in during the 2024 general election.

Local Civics: DC Election Changes

Four councilmember seats were on the ballot this term. It’s no surprise that all the winners are Democrats, and two of them are incumbents.

1️⃣ 

 is back for her third term in Council, touting herself as an advocate for affordable housing, education, and transparency. She recently introduced the 

Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022

, which would expand voting rights to non-U.S. citizens, and the 

Human Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act of 2022

, she said she loves Heat da Spot and The Coupe, so you know she’s got taste.

 3️⃣ 

 is yet another Democratic candidate who has won in the District, but he was up against a 

 he’s passionate about reducing overcrowding in local schools, improving resources for senior citizens, and celebrating diversity in the neighborhood. He’s largely expected to vote with the progressives on Council.

 was the president of the State Board of Education. He says his top priorities on the Council will be increasing affordable housing, expanding rent control protections, and supporting violence prevention programs that center around access to education and mental health support.

6️⃣ 

 ran unopposed and is back for his third term as Councilmember. He chairs the Judiciary & Public Safety Committee and introduced the 

 (the $100 monthly stipend DC Council is considering for all city residents). We chatted with him on the pod about 

Get To Know Your Ward Councilmembers 

When you see it on your ballot, you might think you’re voting for a Batman villain, but the shadow rep is actually an advocacy-like position with a long history.



When territories were seeking entrance into the young United States, they would send shadow 

 to advocate for statehood. Now, D.C. and Puerto Rico are the only states with shadow delegations.

D.C.’s delegation is made up of one shadow representative and two shadow senators, who would become our Congress members if we got statehood. This year, the shadow rep is up for reelection.



What are a shadow representative's duties?


 is made up of unpaid volunteers and advocates for statehood. They aren’t allowed to vote and enjoy little power or congressional perks. Shadow representatives serve two years (while shadow senators serve six).


: Seeking reelection, Democrat Owolewa pushed for states to recognize D.C.’s fight for statehood and even 

got Democrats in West Virginia to introduce a bill to that end

. His platform is based on securing universal healthcare, fighting income inequality, and adopting immigration reform policies.

: A write-in from the Green Party primary, she was previously the Vice President of 

 and has done local community organizing.

What is a Shadow Representative?

What Washingtonians have been wondering. We break down why things in DC are the way they are and how they work.

elections

Local Civics: The transit debate comes to a vote. Efficient or free?

Local Civics: DC Election Changes

Get To Know Your Ward Councilmembers

Latest articles

Local Civics: The transit debate comes to a vote. Efficient or free?

Local Civics: DC Election Changes

Get To Know Your Ward Councilmembers

What is a Shadow Representative?

Latest articles

What is a Shadow Representative?