Brandon Todd (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brandon Todd
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia from the 4th ward
In office May 14, 2015 – January 2, 2021
Preceded by	Muriel Bowser
Succeeded by	Janeese Lewis George
Personal details
Born	(1983-05-26) May 26, 1983 (age 42) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic (since 2007) Republican (until 2007)
Education	Bowie State University (BA) Trinity Washington University (MBA)

Brandon Todd is a lobbyist for Washington Gas. He used to be a politician who served on the Council of the District of Columbia. He represented Ward 4, which is a part of Washington, D.C.. Before becoming a council member, Todd worked for Muriel Bowser. She later became the Mayor of D.C. Todd won a special election in May 2015 to take her place on the Council. He served one full term but lost his re-election bid in 2020 to Janeese Lewis George.

Early Life and Education

Brandon Todd was born on May 26, 1983, and grew up in Washington, D.C. He went to Eastern High School. He earned a communications degree from Bowie State University. Later, he received a Master in Business Administration from Trinity Washington University.

Career in Politics

Todd joined the Democratic Party in October 2007. Before that, he had voted in several elections as a member of the Republican Party.

In 2012, Todd helped manage Muriel Bowser's campaign. She was running to be re-elected as the Ward 4 Councilmember. He also worked as her director for helping people in the community. That same year, Todd was chosen as a delegate. This meant he represented certain wards at the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

In March 2013, Todd helped organize a job fair. It was for people skilled in construction work. This event took place in Fort Totten Square.

On June 5, 2013, Todd was elected to lead the Ward 4 Democrats group. He started a new website and Twitter account for them. In 2014, he was in charge of fundraising for Bowser's campaign for mayor.

How He Won Elections

2014 Special Election

On December 4, 2014, Todd announced he would run for the Ward 4 council seat. This position became open after Muriel Bowser was elected mayor. Todd quickly raised a lot of money for his campaign. He had much more money than his closest opponents. He also accepted donations from companies.

Todd often talked about his close connection with the new mayor. He said he was the only candidate who could easily talk to her about the ward's needs. During one debate, he was asked to name a historical leader he admired. Reports said he searched for the answer on Google. Todd won this special election with 42% of the votes.

2016 General Election

In the June 14, 2016, Democratic primary election for the D.C. Council, Todd won again. He received 49% of the votes. He was supported by several groups and The Washington Post newspaper. Todd won the general election on November 8, 2016. This gave him a full four-year term. He received 35,100 votes in total.

2020 Primary Election

Todd ran for re-election in the June 2020 primary election. However, he lost to Janeese Lewis George. She is a community activist and former D.C. Assistant Attorney General. George won with 7,926 votes, while Todd received 6,386 votes.

Serving on the Council

First Term (2015-2017)

During his first campaign, Todd said he was against a private company running D.C.'s prisons. But after he was elected, he said the council should not get involved in that decision.

He also had different views on "pop-ups," which are housing additions built on top of existing homes. At first, he didn't oppose them. After winning office and hearing from the community, he wanted to find a balance. He aimed to create new housing while also addressing neighbors' concerns.

In 2016, Todd supported Mayor Bowser's plan to open a homeless shelter in Ward 4. He hoped it would help bring economic growth to the area.

In April 2017, an investigation looked into how Todd's 2015 campaign was funded. As a result, Todd was fined $5,100 by the Office of Campaign Finance. He paid the fine in full. The investigation found that he couldn't show records for over $100,000 in donations. He also didn't report $34,000 in donations. This investigation was happening during his 2016 re-election campaign, but it was not made public at that time.

In November 2017, Todd supported a law to help improve the Kennedy Street Corridor. This law aimed to bring new businesses and development to the area.

Second Term (2017-2021)

Todd began his full four-year term on the council on January 2, 2017.

On January 20, 2017, Todd attended the parade for the inauguration of Donald Trump. He said it was important for D.C. to get to know the new administration. He also said it was important for them to understand the District.

Todd supported updating West Elementary School during the 2018 budget talks.

When flyers with anti-immigrant messages were spread in Ward 4, Todd spoke out. He said that such messages would not be allowed. He stressed that all residents deserve to feel safe and respected. This is true no matter their background or beliefs.

On September 19, 2017, Todd introduced a bill called the "Universal Free Lunch for All Amendment Act of 2017." This bill aimed to provide free lunch for all students. This would include students in public schools, charter schools, and some private schools in D.C.

On October 3, 2017, Todd helped pass the "Standard of Care for Animals Amendment Act of 2017." This was an important bill to protect the health and safety of animals in D.C.

On December 4, 2017, Todd introduced a bill to protect children from identity theft. It also aimed to remove fees for credit freezes for all D.C. residents. This bill would let parents or guardians freeze their child's credit. This helps prevent others from opening credit in their child's name.

On December 5, 2017, Todd helped pass his "Office on African American Affairs Establishment Act of 2017." This law created an office to support programs for African American advancement in D.C.

Todd also introduced a bill to create an Office of Nightlife. This office would help connect the government, community leaders, and businesses. Its goal was to make sure everyone benefits from the many bars and restaurants in the city.

Todd worked to address concerns from Ward 4 residents about Metro trains causing vibrations in their homes. He sent letters to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. He asked for more information and faster progress on the issue.

Todd supported changes to campaign finance rules. He voted for the "Fair Elections Act of 2017."

In 2018, Todd was the only council member who voted against giving a committee the power to investigate Veritas. This company managed the United Medical Center. There were concerns about patient safety and how the center was managed.

Todd was also one of the council members who voted to overturn a minimum wage increase for tipped workers. Voters had approved this increase in 2018. However, the council repealed it before it could take effect. This decision became a big issue in his 2020 re-election campaign.

After the Council

After losing his re-election in 2020, Brandon Todd took a new job. He became the director of corporate public policy for Washington Gas. In this role, he works on the company's public relations. He also talks to government officials on behalf of Washington Gas.

Personal Life

Brandon Todd lives in the Petworth neighborhood of Ward 4. He attends St. Mary's Episcopal Church. He is single.

Election Results

2015

2016

2020