A Southwest advisory neighborhood commissioner will face a rare recall election on Nov. 7 after the Board of Elections and Ethics last week certified more than 120 petition signatures collected to bring her down.
Mary C. Williams, a Ward 6 ANC commissioner in the general area of the new South Capitol Street baseball stadium, could be on two November ballots — one for a recall and another for a re-election bid, if she chooses to run again. She will be only the third elected official to face a recall vote since the advent of Home Rule in 1973; all officials to face recalls have been ANC commissioners.
Sydney McMahan Jr., a resident of Carrollsburg Place in Williams’ neighborhood, launched the recall effort in May, citing his commissioner’s “frequent clashes with voters” and a “disastrously unsuccessful smear campaign to recall popular Council Member Sharon Ambrose.”
Williams challenged 53 of the 150 signatures McMahan collected. But Kathy Fairley, the registrar of voters, found only 29 of the challenges were valid, leaving 121 credible signatures — 12 more than necessary. The elections board backed Fairley’s assessment during a hearing Wednesday.
In her challenge, Williams argued McMahan fooled residents by lying about the purpose for the recall and displaying only the back of the double-sided petition page.
Williams, a vocal critic of the stadium and the current city administration, did not attend Wednesday’s hearing and did not return requests for comment.
More on Mary Williams
» Commissioner for ANC 6D, single-member district 03
» Leader of BetterDeal4DC, a group opposed to publicly financed stadium
» Former Clean City coordinator under Mayor Anthony Williams
