Two attempts to recall D.C. council members over crime in the District of Columbia failed in recent months, but no signatures were submitted for one of the petitions.
Groups aimed to recall D.C. council members Charles Allen and Brianne Nadeau after crime spiked in the capital over the past year. While the group seeking to recall Allen announced in August that it had submitted signatures (though below the threshold to qualify for the ballot), the group seeking to recall Nadeau reportedly did not even submit signatures by the Tuesday deadline.
The Washington Post reported that the D.C. Board of Elections did not receive petitions by the Oct. 1 deadline after previously reporting that the organizers behind the recall effort had “acknowledged serious challenges.”
The effort to recall Allen, who represents Ward 6, came roughly 700 signatures short of its 6,225 signature goal by its August deadline. The recall efforts against Allen and Nadeau were launched after crime in D.C. reached a fever pitch in 2023, requiring multiple emergency measures to be taken by both the council and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Nadeau told the outlet earlier this year that she understood the pushback over the past language around crime and law enforcement, and it caused her to recalibrate it.
“Some people need me to say, ‘I also support the police and work with them every day to keep our community safe,’ while also recognizing they can’t solve all our issues,” Nadeau said. “And also, no one council member can solve this issue. I wish I could — I would have by now.”
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Both Allen and Nadeau will next be up for election in November 2026.
Another council member, Trayon White, is under scrutiny after he was indicted on federal bribery charges earlier this year. The council last month voted to open an investigation into White, who is up for reelection in November and has not halted his effort for another four-year term.
