The results of the special election for the recall of ANC 4B04 commissioner Doug Smith are as follows: 75 votes in favor of the recall, 59 votes against it. Sixteen absentee ballots and eight special ballots still need to be counted; according to the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics, a final count will be held on March 9, and certification is scheduled for March 13.
This means that Smith, who also serves as ANC 4B's treasurer, will have to win at least 17 of those 24 outstanding votes in order to keep his seat.
At the Metropolitan Police Department's Fourth District Headquarters, where the special election was held, Smith's supporters clustered together in one circle while supporters of the recall effort, most of whom are members of the civic group Concerned Citizens of Brightwood East, congregated in another. When the results were posted on the door of the police station's community room around 8:20 pm, both groups anxiously converged upon them, and neither group went away with a sense of satisfaction. Nobody wanted to wait ten more days for the official results, but such is the way of extremely close elections.
ANC 4B01 commissioner Sara Green was there to lend her support to Smith. Upon seeing the results, Smith offered to turn in his office key to Green, who is also ANC4B's chairperson, and told her that she should think about her next treasurer. She asked if he would consider running again should the recall become official; he said he would consider it but that he "really wasn't feeling it." A 4B04 resident chimed in with: "Think of it this way...at least you won't have to deal with these nasty people anymore."
For more background on the recall, see Behind the effort to recall ANC 4B04 commissioner Doug Smith.
This entire escapade was an exercise in petty personal disagreements and juvenile vendettas (ironically, exercised by those who are the exact opposite of legal juveniles).
ReplyDeleteIn short, a small group of persons (cheered on by one person in particular) has made efforts to recall the last three (3) ANC Commissioners for this Single-Member District because the duly elected Commissioners don't show fealty to their (her) demands. But, these people never put forth a candidate or run themselves. They simply complain - incessantly.
This time, however, one issue - Wal Mart on Georgia Avenue - provided a forum and basis for the dissenters to formally oust an ANC Commissioner. To what end? Who won here? Today the Single Member District has *NO* representation - none - until November. Of course, they oust this person at the very point bulldozers make way for Wal-Mart; just at the time the District needs an advocate or a voice.
The recall supporters will argue that Smith was either not sufficiently against Wal-Mart or was absent during the process. Public documents regarding efforts to oppose and challenge or "push" Wal-Mart prove otherwise.
Now the Single Member B404 District has no representation. Of course, in the face of this recent effort, why would anyone in their right mind (or with even a modicum of talent) submit themselves to the ordeal of serving in this role?
And - why the Anonymous? I'm not really interested in having people knock on my door or hiss as I walk my dog in the morning. No, everyone knows (who needs to know) what went down here - and I don't need to be confronted at the bus stop in the morning at this point in my life. So, no need to know me - just know the facts.
I don't know Mr Smith, and I'll not take sides in this, but I think it's wrong that an election won with 293 votes can be overturned by just 75. Recalls, especially ANC recalls, come down to who's most effective at getting voters to a special election, not necessarily to the merits of the matter.
ReplyDelete-- Jack McKay
ANC 1D03 (Mount Pleasant)
The saddest thing of all is that when it is all said and done and Walmart opens the doors, everyone who opposed it will be in there shopping. No doubt in my mind about that.
ReplyDelete