DC Ward 8 voters head to polls in special election

WASHINGTON - Voters in D.C.’s Ward 8 are casting ballots Tuesday to fill a vacant Council seat left open after Trayon White was expelled earlier this year over federal bribery charges.

DC special election: How to vote in person, when polls open and close, sample ballot

Voters cast ballots

What we know:

White, who was indicted for allegedly accepting more than $150,000 in exchange for influencing city contract renewals, is seeking to reclaim his seat. He has pleaded not guilty and argues that voters, not politicians, should decide his future.

He faces three very serious challengers in the election. Salim Adofo, a community activist and former Advisory Neighborhood Commission chair; Mike Austin, a fourth-generation Washingtonian and former ANC commissioner with experience in city government; and Sheila Bunn, a longtime political strategist who served as chief of staff to former Mayor Vincent Gray.

READ MORE: DC Council committee votes to recommend Trayon White for expulsion amid bribery allegations

DC Ward 8 Special Election Candidates

All three candidates say Ward 8 deserves new leadership after years of controversy and stalled progress.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The winner will serve the remainder of White’s term. If White is reelected, it remains unclear whether the Council could move to expel him again before his trial begins in January.

Find your polling place, hours and voter info online.