With all the drama surrounding ANC 8C and their lack of accessibility and last minute cancelled meetings A LOT of people have been complaining however we haven't seen those complaints transalate over to NEW people running for an ANC Seat. Candidates were able to pick up election petitions last month in order to participate in the next election (oddly enough the August ANC 8C meeting was cancelled during this time).


With the deadline to turn in petitions, Friday September 5th fast approaching we really need folks to stand up and get involved in their community by running for an ANC 8C seat. We have the same exact people running every year - so much so that some of them have forgotten that being elected is a priveledge - they have begun to see it as a right. A "claim to fame" an opportunity for power - not as an ability to service the people.

If you want to see how effective (or ineffective) your ANC is all you have to do is look on the streets. Are your streets dirty? Are their not enough trash cans? Is your block beeing overloaded with liquor stores? Have crack houses totally taken over your block? Is your street in dire need of a traffic light or speed bumps?

Take a look at Anacostia of their growing economic development. Of their burgeoning businesses and even the infrastructure of their main streets - MLK and Good Hope Rd and while there is still work to be done they are on the right path. Then take a peek over to our side of the "main street" MLK. Take a look at our park with the milk crates, worn playground equipment and park that has more adult uses than children's uses.


It is NOT to late for someone to step up and say "Enough is Enough"! This is the year for change. We see it on a national scale with Obama, in our very own Ward with all the Barry challengers - we not make it a clean sweep and elect NEW faces with a NEW voice who are really ready to get to work for Congress Heights without any other agenda?


Can we spare ANOTHER 2 years of the same?!!!


Imploring my neighbors to please look within their neighborhoods, within their family,within their church even within their hearts and encourage someone (maybe even yourself) to hear the call of YOUR community and get involved! Go down the board of elections on Tuesday and get your ANC peition and get them signed by at least 25 registered voters in your single member district and get them turned in by the Friday deadline.


In order for our ANCs to be effective they need to be staffed by the BEST people not the ONLY people. Don't let anyone discourage you. It's that same type of "back biting" and intimidating tactics that have kept us in the dark for so long.


Competition breeds progress. It keeps people sharp and honest. Two things we are in strong need of in Ward 8, especailly ANC 8C.


INFORMATION ON ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONS


An Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) is a boundaried area of the city subdivided into smaller areas (with populations of approximately 2,000 residents) called Single Member Districts (SMDs).


The term for an ANC Commissioner is two (2) years. The office is nonpartisan.


Each ANC Commissioner is nominated and elected by the registered voters who reside in the same Single Member District as the candidate. The ANC Commissioner is an unsalaried official who represents his or her neighborhood community (single member district) on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission. The Commission represents the neighborhood and advises the District government on issues relating to zoning, social service programs, health, police protection, sanitation, and recreation.


Establishment of the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions was made possible under the provisions of the District of Columbia Self Government and Governmental Reorganization Act (Section 738) and the Advisory Neighborhood Commission Act of 1975 (DC Law No. 121).

In order to hold the office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, an individual must meet the following qualifications:

• 
  Be a registered voter in the District, as defined by DC Code Section 1-1001.02;
  
• 
  Have resided in the Single Member District from which nominated continuously for the 60 day period immediately preceding the day on which the nominating petition is filed; and
  
• 
  Hold no other public office.

The Board will provide each candidate who obtains petition forms with a list of the registered voters in his or her Single Member District. We urge that the petition be checked against the list to ensure that it meets or exceeds the minimum signature requirement.

To find what ANC and single member district you live in click HERE.

DC Board of Elections and Ethics 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 250 NorthWashington, DC 20001 Tel: (202) 727-2525 TTY: (202) 639-8916 Tollfree: 1-866-DC-VOTES

CURRENT ANC OFFICERS

SMD 8C
ANC/SMD

8C01
DOROTHEA FERRELL
1159 STEVENS ROAD, SE
20020889-2825-->

8C02
GRADY EDWARDS III
617 MELLON ST, SE
20032202-562-0963-->

8C03
MARY J. CUTHBERT*
3325 M.L.K., AVE., SE #12
20032246-9410-->

8C04
R. CALVIN LOCKRIDGE
121 RALEIGH STREET, SE
20032562-4974-->

8C05
VACANT
-->

8C06
VACANT
-->

8C07
CARDELL SHELTON
115 UPSAL ST, SE
20032

SMD 8D
ANC/SMD


8D01
PATRICIA CARMON
816 SOUTHERN AVE, SE #204
20032371-1150-->

8D02
O. V. JOHNSON
632 ELMIRA STREET, SE
20032561-0050-->


8D03
ABSALOM ''AB'' JORDAN
4335 4TH STREET, SE #2
20032574-5657-->

8D04
BENNIE C HOWARD III
118 ELMIRA ST, SW
20032645-4300-->


8D05
MARVIN J LEE
136 IVANHOE ST, SW #101
20032369-3072-->

8D06
MARIA POWELL
77 ELMIRA STREET, SW
20032561-6254-->


8D07
THERESA H. JONES
4020 - 1ST PLACE, SW
20032

SMD 8E
8E01
VACANT
-->


8E02
''S S'' SANDRA SEEGARS
1107 SAVANNAH STREET, SE
20032561-6616-->

8E03
CHRISTOPHER L HAWTHORNE
1922 VALLEY TERRACE, SE
20032678-6449-->


8E04
MELVIN H. SIMS
915 SAVANNAH STREET, SE
20032562-7951-->

8E05
LEON J. SWAIN, JR.
1202 SAVANNAH STREET, SE
20032905-1199-->


8E06
WANDA D LOCKRIDGE
419 VALLEY AVE, SE
20032320-6063-->

8E07
SANDRA SV WILLIAMS
847 BARNABY STREET, SE
20032