BY EMMA BUZBEE, NEWS EDITOR
On November 4th, Democrat Muriel Bowser was elected the new mayor of DC, beating out independent contenders David Catania and Carol Schwartz. Bowser won with 54.5 percent of the vote, the lowest margin in the mayoral race in four decades, by winning all precincts east of the Anacostia and the majority of precincts in the middle of the city.
Her main opponent Catania won almost all precincts west of Rock Creek. The portions of the city won by each candidate demonstrate the racial and economic divides in DC; Bowser won the poorer, majority African American neighborhoods while Catania won the richer, majority white areas. Bowser won because of her promises to unite the divided city, high profile endorsements including one by President Barack Obama, and past experience with education.
Though the voter turnout was 32.5 percent, a 2.5 percent increase over the 2010 elections, the low turnout remained consistent with DC resident’s lack of enthusiasm in the mayoral candidates. Also on the ballot was legalization of marijuana which passed in all precincts except one and with a total of 69.4 percent of the vote.
