Doni Crawford Appointed as Councilmember, Council Committees Reorganized

Image via Council of the District of Columbia

In the month of January, it is traditional for the DC Council to swear in new Councilmembers and to reorganize its committee structure and jurisdiction. However, in the fifty years of Home Rule history, it is almost always at the beginning of a two-year Council Period, in January of odd-numbered years (following elections in the even-numbered years) that these biennial traditions occur.

However, following the resignation of At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (announced in December and effective earlier this month), these traditions are unusually taking place at the mid-point of a Council Period–in January in an even-numbered year.

Per the terms of the Home Rule Act, “With respect to a vacancy on the Council of a member elected at large who is not affiliated with any political party, the Council shall appoint a similarly non-affiliated person to fill such vacancy until such vacancy can be filled in a special election in the manner prescribed in this paragraph.”