Dear Neighbor,
Tomorrow, November 5th, is Election Day. In this newsletter, I will provide information on how to cast your vote as well as information on security throughout the District to keep residents, visitors, and our businesses, schools, and places of worship safe. I’ll also provide an update on my legislation that was passed last week to protect residents in their homes.
Casting Your Vote
You can vote by using your mail-in-ballot or by voting in person early or on election day.
Mail-in-ballot: Instructions on how to fill out your mail-in-ballot can be found here. There are several ways to cast your vote by mail-in-ballot: dropping at a drop box, returning it to your letter carrier, dropping at a USPS post office or mailbox, or at any vote center. All instructions can be found here. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day (Tuesday, November 5th). You may drop your mail-in-ballot in any Ballot Drop Box at any time until 8:00 pm on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5th. You can find a full list of Ballot Drop Box locations across the District here. You may also drop your mail-in-ballot at any Election Day Voting Center. If you are a member of the military or voting from overseas, the Federal Voting Assistance Program has information on registration and absentee voting here.
In person: You can vote in person at any Election Day Voting Center. Voters may cast their ballots at any vote center regardless of their residential address. Election Day Voting Centers will be open Tuesday, November 5th from 7:00 am – 8:00 pm. You can find Election Day Voting Centers here. Same-day voter registration is available at any Vote Center on Election Day with proof of DC residence. Learn more at http://dcboe.org/registertovote
Accessibility: The DC Board of Elections has a number of resources to make voting accessible including language access, curbside voting, Accessible Remote Ballot Marking System to facilitate voters with disabilities to vote independently and privately, among others. For more information visit here. For any additional questions about voting, you can reach the DC Board of Elections at https://dcboe.org/ or 1-866-DC-VOTES.
(Councilmember Pinto attended the 17th Street High Heel Race in Ward 2 and spoke to residents about legislative and budget investments to support the LGBTQQIA+ community)
Election Security
Across the DC government we have prepared and coordinated with federal partners to ensure the safety of DC residents and visitors throughout the election and inauguration. Violence or destruction will not be tolerated. Regular meetings and calls have been held and will continue and information sharing with residents, businesses, and schools will help ensure security in our nation’s capital. I am also encouraged that our small businesses, hotels, and restaurants and bars are ready to benefit from residents and visitors coming to the District throughout this season.
To stay updated on the latest information, please be sure you are signed up for AlertDC at alertdc.dc.gov. You can also follow official accounts on social media including on X (formerly Twitter): MPD (@DCPoliceDept), HSEMA (@DC_HSEMA and @AlertDC), and DC Fire and EMS (@DCFireEMS). For information on inauguration, you can visit the District’s Inauguration website inauguration.dc.gov.
In addition, there will be a presidential election night party at Howard University tomorrow evening. There will be several street closures beginning today. You can find the full map of closures here.
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Emergency Legislation: Protecting Residents in their Homes
Last week, I introduced emergency legislation to address ongoing concerns of demonstrations targeting individual residences with excessive amplified sound and the throwing of projectiles as intimidation tactics. You can listen to my introductory remarks on the bill here.
We must protect the fundamental right to protest and express one’s views— a value we carry forward proudly in the District of Columbia and in our country. We also must ensure the reasonable expectations of residents that their homes be protected from significant excessively loud disruptions and threatening actions when they are in their homes — impacts that can be felt by entire communities.
I believe we must get this balance right and I am pleased to share that the bill passed to provide reasonable limitations around the use of sound amplification devices in residential communities and protect the tranquility of residents in their homes and neighborhoods. The bill 1. prohibits amplification devices when targeting a residence for a demonstration in a residential zone between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.; and 2. prohibits throwing projectiles at residential properties when intended to cause fear, intimidate, or retaliate against residents. I will be working with my colleagues on permanent changes to our noise ordinances.
Yours in Service,
Brooke
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WUSA 9 Emergency legislation passed by DC Council to control protest noise The DC Council passed emergency legislation Tuesday with a 9-2 vote to bring some relief to neighbors upset over megaphone-fueled protests right outside their front door. Those neighbors say they aren’t even the target of the protesters, but they are still paying the price.
Washington Post D.C. Council restricts amplified noise, projectiles at residential protests Pinto’s legislation amends the Residential Tranquility Act of 2009, which imposed the current time constraints on demonstrations. Pinto described her bill as a limited measure that balances D.C. residents’ frustration with early-morning and late-night protests and projectiles, while also respecting First Amendment rights. “Protests can and should continue to happen around the city,” Pinto said in an interview. “But we need to be realistic with what those hours really mean and the practical impacts of people’s lives.”
WTOP DC Council votes to restrict late-night protesters in neighborhoods “I’m deeply concerned,” said D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto, who proposed the legislation. “We are seeing the persistent use of amplified sound devices, blasting noise on a continuous loop in residential areas.” The emergency bill passed in a 9-2 vote and prohibits demonstrators from using amplified sound to target a home in a residential neighborhood from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. It also bans them from throwing projectiles at homes.
Washington Informer The Collins Council Report: The Late October Additional Legislative Meeting For Mendelson, the levels, which go beyond the expert-recommended threshold of 85 decibels, make Pinto’s emergency bill a public safety matter. “It’s dangerous,” Mendelson said about the sound levels. “There were some questions raised about if it’s constitutional. A 1988 Supreme Court case [showed us that] protecting the home is the highest order.”
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Leaf Collection Season: Collection began on October 28th, 2024 for DPW-serviced households. To access information regarding this year’s Leaf Collection, please click this link to visit DPW’s Leaf Collection page. Once collections begin, visit https://dpw.dc.gov/leaf to track leaf collection weekly. Download the MyDPW App leaf collection updates!
Fix-It DC offers free community repair events to all District residents. Learn how to repair your broken items like small household appliances, electronics and clothing with a coach at the MLK Jr Memorial Library (901 G St NW) on Wednesday, November 13 from 5:30pm-7:30pm! Please register to attend the event.
Downtown Holiday Market: The Downtown Holiday Market will be held from November 22 – December 23, 12:00 noon – 8:00 p.m. on F Street NW (Between 7th and 9th Streets NW). Councilmember Pinto recently joined our public safety partners to share how our investments in the budget (like the Safe Commercial Corridors Grant program Councilmember Pinto launched) will help keep visitors safe throughout the holiday season.
