Washington, D.C. Chairman of the Council · Nov 3, 2026
Phil Mendelson
Candidate for Chairman of the Council (incumbent)
Phil Mendelson, the incumbent, is running for Washington, D.C. Chairman of the Council in the Nov 3, 2026 election, against Abi-Ananiah Prudent.
Mail ballot drop boxes open (tentative) · Fri, Oct 9, 2026
In 4 daysChairman of the Council since 2012; first elected as an at-large Councilmember in 1998. He chaired the Council's Committee on the Judiciary from 2005 to 2012.
- Occupation (from candidate statement)
- Democrat
- Campaign website
- mendelson2026.com
Where Phil Mendelson stands: positions on the record
Youth curfew1 sourced position
Voted yes on the Youth Curfew Amendment Act at final reading (approved 8-5, May 2026).
Council voteDC Council LIMS · May 5, 2026
Housing1 sourced position
Voted yes on the RENTAL Act at final reading (approved 10-3, Oct. 2025).
Council voteDC Council LIMS · Oct 21, 2025
Tipped wage1 sourced position
Voted for the Allen-Henderson proposal to partially repeal Initiative 82, capping the tipped wage at 75% of the minimum wage in 2034 (July 2025).
Council voteThe 51st · Jul 29, 2025
RFK campus1 sourced position
Voted yes on the Robert F. Kennedy Campus Redevelopment Act at final reading (approved 11-2, Sept. 2025).
Council voteDC Council LIMS · Sep 17, 2025
Home rule1 sourced position
Says he is running for re-election to defend D.C. home rule against the Trump administration.
Own statementPhil Mendelson campaign site
Past candidacies1 sourced position
Ran for Chairman of the Council in 2026 as a Democratic candidate (won the June 16 primary).
Own statementDC Board of Elections · Jul 17, 2026
Also running for Chairman of the Council
All 19 Washington, D.C. candidates →Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works →
See something wrong? Report an error
Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.