At-Large DC Councilmember Robert White to resign council seat to ensure eligibility for delegate

WASHINGTON - At-Large D.C. Councilmember Robert White will resign from his council seat on Monday, Nov. 2, to ensure he is eligible as the Democratic nominee for D.C. delegate in Tuesday's election. 

What we know:

White, who has served on the council for ten years, is scheduled to deliver remarks about his resignation on Monday around 5 p.m. outside the John A. Wilson building. 

The decision stems from a legal requirement established decades ago under a federal statute.

"The District of Columbia Delegate Act of 1970, enacted before D.C. had an elected Council, requires the District’s Delegate to Congress to hold no other paid public office on the date of their election. The D.C. Attorney General has advised me that this means I must resign my Council seat before Election Day," White said in a statement.

Despite the decision to resign, White made it clear that he disputes the Attorney General's conclusion.

What they're saying:

"My reading of the law differs from the Attorney General’s," White said in a statement Wednesday. "I believe the Council’s authority under the Home Rule Act of 1973 provides a path to resolve this issue, and I have explored legal and legislative options consistent with that interpretation."

Specifically, White pointed to the precise wording of the statute, arguing that the Attorney General misread the timeline set by Congress.

"The law doesn’t say ‘Election Day,’ which is a term defined in federal law. It says, ‘the date of his election.’ That’s an important legal distinction," White said.

White also emphasized that his resignation will cause disruption for his constituents, especially when it comes to ongoing council duties and committee leadership.

"The consequences extend beyond my Council seat. Under this interpretation, residents would lose an elected representative before all ballots have been cast, the votes have been counted, or the election results have been certified. It would cut short the service you elected me to provide, including my active work on the Council’s Committee on Housing, before the outcome of the race for Delegate is known," White said. "Forcing an interruption in residents’ elected representation before an election’s outcome is known is fundamentally undemocratic."

White said addressing the dated statute would be part of his legislative agenda if he is elected as a delegate.

"A federal law written before D.C. had an elected Council should not force an interruption in representation before an election’s outcome is known," White said. "If elected Delegate, I will work to clarify this provision so future candidates and the residents they represent do not face the same uncertainty."

What's next:

On Wednesday, the D.C. Democratic Party said work was already underway to fill the anticipated Democratic At-Large Councilmember vacancy.

"Under the District's Home Rule Charter, when a party member's At-Large Council seat becomes vacant, that party's central committee appoints an interim member to serve until voters fill the seat in a special election. The DC Democratic Party is honored once again to carry out that awesome responsibility," the group said in a statement. 

The group said the selection would be made promptly and at an appropriate time. 

"Our process will be guided by the Home Rule Charter, the Party’s governing documents, and our established procedures, ensuring that every step is conducted with transparency, integrity, and fidelity to the rules that govern us," the D.C. Democratic Party said. 

NewsWashington, D.C.Elections 2026