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Taking note . . .

Observations about public affairs in the nation’s capital
by the editor of The Common Denominator

DECISIVE SHOWING: When all the votes were counted Sept. 20, Eugene Dewitt Kinlow and his "Unity Democrats" slate had little trouble winning what many are calling the most contentious contest ever to determine the leadership of Ward 8 Democrats. But many observers also note that the contest delivered a decisive blow to Mayor Anthony Williams’ attempt to install his political supporters at the helm of the organization, which has been steadfast in questioning his priorities and has even voted to censure him.

Kinlow, who has spearheaded several grass-roots issue-related community campaigns in recent years, replaces retiring president Philip Pannell but will have a lot of experienced help as he takes over the leadership post. The Unity Democrats’ slate included four officers who were re-elected – First Vice President Mary Cuthbert, Second Vice President Sandra Seegars, Correspondence Secretary Toayoa Aldridge and Treasurer Treasurer Darryl Ross – as well as former Ward 6 Democrats officer Cynthia Kain, who was elected as the Ward 8 Democrats’ recording secretary after redistricting changed her ward.

A record turnout of more than 400 party faithful showed up for what Pannell referred to as an "al fresco" election, held in the parking lot of the Washington Highlands branch library due to the facility’s closure in the wake of last week’s tropical storm. The block party atmosphere was aided by the Unity Democrats’ "hospitality tent," where volunteers handed out free lemonade and hot dogs to neighbors on a sunny afternoon but said a vote for the slate wasn’t required in return. Kinlow ended up winning the presidency with more votes than the combined total for his two rivals – People’s Slate candidate Lafayette Barnes and Priority 8 Slate’s Joyce Scott.

Barnes, a longtime member of the mayor’s executive staff who is married to Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, headed a slate of Williams supporters who were criticized in some Democratic Party circles even outside Ward 8 for placing a large "advertorial" campaign ad in the Informer.

Kinlow said he has "already committed [Barnes and Scott] to working with the Ward 8 Democrats as part of the team" now that the election is over. He said he expects to maintain a "fairly close" relationship with new D.C. Democratic State Committee Chairman Scott Bolden, with whom he has worked on the state committee’s finance committee, as the Ward 8 Democrats embark on an ambitious agenda for the coming year.

"We need to make sure we enlist the aid of young people, getting them on board as soon as possible," Kinlow said.

Major goals for the year include registering 2,000 new voters in Ward 8 and getting 3,000 voters to turn out at the polls, Kinlow said. "We need to build some bridges to some new communities brought into Ward 8," he said.

REST IN PEACE: Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans and his three children – Katherine, John and Christine – lost wife and mother Noel Sept. 12 after a long battle with cancer. A memorial service was held Sept. 14 at Foundry United Methodist Church in Northwest Washington, followed by a service and burial in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sept. 16.

Copyright 2003, The Common Denominator