Eydie Whittington facts for kids

Eydie D. Whittington is a politician from the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C.. She served as a member of the city's council, representing Ward 8.

What is the Council of the District of Columbia?

The Council of the District of Columbia is like the city council for Washington, D.C. Its members are elected by the people to make laws and decisions for the city. They help manage how the city runs and make sure residents' needs are met.

Eydie Whittington's Role in the Community

Before joining the Council, Eydie Whittington worked as a legal secretary. She also represented her neighborhood, Douglas Gardens, on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission. This commission helps local residents have a say in decisions that affect their community.

The 1995 Election for City Council

In 1994, Eydie Whittington helped Marion Barry with his campaign for mayor. After Barry won and became mayor, his seat on the Council, representing Ward 8, became empty. Eydie Whittington decided to run for this open seat.

A Close Race for the Council Seat

Mayor Barry supported Whittington's campaign. His wife, Cora Masters Barry, even led her campaign team. The special election for the Ward 8 seat was very close. At first, it looked like Whittington had won by just two votes.

Challenges to the Election Results

Another candidate, Sandy Allen, believed there were problems with the election. She said that some people who voted did not actually live in Ward 8. After a recount, Whittington's lead was even smaller, just one vote.

Allen then filed another lawsuit to stop Whittington from taking office. She claimed that many votes for Whittington came from people who were not Ward 8 residents. However, the court allowed Whittington to be sworn in. She officially became a Council member on May 31, 1995. The court later decided that Allen had not shown enough proof that the voters she named were not residents.

Allen tried one more time to challenge the election results, saying there were other voting issues. But the court decided that the election results should stand.

The 1996 Reelection Campaign

Eydie Whittington ran for reelection to the Council in 1996. Mayor Barry again supported her campaign. However, in the Democratic primary election, Sandy Allen won more votes. Allen received 1,746 votes, while Whittington received 1,425 votes. This meant that Sandy Allen would go on to represent Ward 8.