DC Government Primer
The District of Columbia is run by a city mayor, and the city council with the US Congress. The court system is administered by the federal government. District residents have limited control over determining who makes the decisions in local government affairs by only being able to vote for a few positions.
The
mayor acts as the executive head of the District of Columbia. Since 1974
District residents have been able to elect their mayor. The mayor is elected or
re-elected every four years. Under the mayor are the various deputy mayors, who
head different city departments, and chiefs of staff.
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Mayors Website |
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Mayor's Cabinet |
The
City Council is an elected body of 13 persons, with one person for each
individual ward and four At Large seats representing the entire city. Residents
can vote for their ward's councilperson and any candidate running for an At
Large seat. Council members hold their seats for four year terms. The DC City
Council acts as the legislative body, with the authority to enact laws, approve
the annual operating budget, and establish and oversee the programs and
operations of all District government agencies.
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Find Your Ward |
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DC City Council Website |
ANCs (Advisory Neighborhood Commission)
Like the DC City Council, ANCs are divided according to city wards. These wards are further divided into single member districts. ANC Commissioners, who are elected every two years, represent the subdivided sectors of the wards.