Gay incumbent challenges petition signatures of gay opponent in ANC race
Gay D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Michael Eichler, who represents the newly configured ANC Single Member District 2G02 in the city’s Shaw neighborhood, has filed a challenge to the petition signatures of his opponent, gay former Shaw ANC commissioner Alexander ‘Alex’ Padro, before the D.C.
Board of Elections. Eichler and Padro are among at least a dozen confirmed openly LGBTQ candidates running for Advisory Neighborhood Commission seats in the city’s Nov.
8 election, although activists believe there are far more out LGBTQ ANC candidates who have yet to be identified. Padro told the Washington Blade Eichler has challenged seven signatures of the 32 he obtained from residents of the ANC district.
Twenty-five valid signatures are required for an ANC candidate to be placed on the ballot. Padro said he is certain that all but one of the seven challenged signatures will be upheld by the Board of Elections as valid. “This is not a challenge that will bear fruit,” he said. “I am challenging his petition because it’s part of the process,” Eichler told the Blade in an email message. “I reviewed the signatures and found some irregularities,” he said. “The only way to resolve those irregularities is through a petition challenge.” The Board of Elections is scheduled to make a final determination on Sept.
