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District of Columbia Research Guide

Governance, Pre-Statehood Materials, and Statehood Initiatives

This is an overview of the history and sources of District of Columbia governance, as well as recent developments in the efforts to achieve statehood. Sources of law for the District of Columbia are the U.S. Congress, the D.C.Council, D.C. and federal court decisions, and the decisions of D.C. and federal agencies.

Governance

Foundational documents related to D.C. governance:

Office of the Mayor

The Mayor heads the Executive branch, which enforces laws, enacts executive orders, and oversees the D.C. budget. The Attorney General is the chief legal officer.

  • Mayor's Orders and Memoranda
    • Orders can be searched by either the order number or by conducting a calendar search, if the month and year are known. Memoranda are searchable by the Memorandum number or by calendar.
    • From 1967 to 1974, the District of Columbia was governed by a Commissioner. This office was established by Congress and was eventually replaced by the current mayoral position. To locate Commissioners' Orders from 1952-1972, call the Office of the Secretary at 202-727-5090 or email dcdocuments@dc.gov for assistance.
  • D.C. Attorney General's Opinions

Council of the District of Columbia

The Council has legislative authority. There are eight wards in D.C., and each ward elects a single member to the Council. Residents also elect four at-large members.

There are also 37 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs), elected by the residents of specific neighborhood districts. The ANCs can offer recommendations on issues affecting residents, which the Council then considers.

Pre-Statehood Materials

D.C. Statehood Initiatives