Multiple Ward 8 leaders voting for Councilman Trayon White’s seat in upcoming election

WASHINGTON (7News) — Just over 70 days until people in Ward 8 will have to make a choice. The names are rolling in for people who want a chance at Councilman Trayon White’s seat. The FBI arrested him on bribery charges. He can stay on the ballot because he has not been convicted yet.

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7News was there when former Ward 8 ANC Olivia Henderson handed in her write-in candidacy forms.

While he was attending the DNC in Chicago, 7News also spoke with Markus Batchelor. Batchelor served as the ward’s member for the State Board of Education.

“Several people have asked me to step up,” Batchelor said. “So yes, I am coming home with the intention of starting up a write-in campaign this November.”

Former president of the Ward 8 Democrats Philip Pennell announced this week that he would step up as a write-in. However, on Friday he shared with 7News that he is stepping back and supporting Batchelor.

“I’m glad there are other options other than the two on the ballot,” Pennell said. “I still have fear our incumbent will be reelected and I wonder what type of signal that sends to this community and the city.”

Right now on the ballot, is Republican Nate Derenge from South Dakatoa. He said he’s lived in the Anacostia neighborhood for about nine years.

“I think I can get the first win by restricting sugary products from snap cards,” Derenge said. “There are a lot of health disparities. “We should not be subsidizing people’s poor diets.”

7News asked the current candidates and potential about how they will increase transparency and trust as leaders for their Ward and the agencies and organizations receiving money to do work in it.

“We need to stop paying them so much money. All these programs need to go away,” said Derenge.

“I hate to see happen because of incidents like this is people having a diminished view of the work that violence interrupters do in our community and the real progress that they made to that end,” Batchelor said. “My concern is that we don’t “t scale back our commitment.”

“We work for the people. You have to be transparent. Hate to say it, but no back deals. Everything is by the paper, if it’s not by the paper it just doesn’t work I believe people have been doing things by the paper for just so long and they think they can do what they want so now it’s time for change,” he said Henderson.

On the ballot this election, you will only see Derenge and White’s name. Voters have to personally write-in, their write-in candidates.