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For Immediate Release | June 3, 2020
Contact: Claire Goldberg, communications@dcdemocraticparty.org
WASHINGTON, DC — The DC Democratic Party wants to congratulate every candidate who ran in our June 2nd primary. We are incredibly grateful for the amazing slate of Democrats whose campaigns centered on improving our city and our country. We look forward to continuing to work with all of you. We also want to sincerely thank all of the volunteers who worked the polls or served in other capacities.
Moving forward, we will be addressing the numerous challenges that came with this year’s primary election. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the DC Board of Elections promoted vote-by-mail and only opened 20 in-person voting centers across the District. But countless residents who requested an absentee ballot never received it, and there were lines up to five hours long at multiple voting centers. Many residents showed up at their regular voting locations, which were closed, and there was no signage to inform them about nearby open voting locations. Some people waited past midnight to cast their ballot. That is unacceptable.
DC Democratic Party Chairman Charles E. Wilson gave the following statement:
“I am incredibly frustrated and disappointed by the fact that so many DC residents had to wait in line for hours to cast their vote yesterday. It is clear that this primary election process was mismanaged. The Board of Elections should have engaged local leaders earlier in the decision making process, which could have made things run smoother. Now it is time to have an honest conversation about lessons learned and work collaboratively to implement a solid plan for November, because there cannot be a single issue with voting when another four years of Trump is at stake.”
DC Democratic Party Vice Chair Linda L. Gray gave the following statement:
“I would like to thank all Democrats for voting, especially considering the impact of COVID-19 and our turbulent political climate. Casting your ballot in the Democratic Primary is the first step to creating the change we want and need in the White House. But our work is far from over. We will need to work together to ensure voting in the General Election is unobstructed and issue-free.”
The DC Democratic Party will be doing everything in our power to make voting as easy and organized as possible for the General Election in November. We will be pushing for expanded vote-by-mail, an increased number of vote centers, and better communications from the Board of Elections. We also plan on working with other state parties and voting rights organizations to ensure that we break down any barriers to voting nationwide.
We will be discussing these issues at our upcoming general body meeting on Thursday, June 4, which is open to the public. We are looking forward to receiving feedback from the community.
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Chartered by the Democratic National Committee as the elected representatives of the Democratic voters in the District of Columbia, the DC Democratic State Committee “DC Democratic Party” provides input in the affairs of the Democratic Party at the block, precinct, state, and national level. Our priorities include ensuring, preserving, and protecting the principles of Democracy, freedom, equality, and service through political action, fair elections, quality elected officials, strong and vibrant communities, the election of a Democratic nominee for President of the United States, voting rights and statehood for DC. Find out more about what the DC Democratic Party is doing at www.dcdemocraticparty.org.