Sources & Citations — DC Ward 1 Council 2026

This page documents the source behind every candidate position in the DC Ward 1 Council 2026 matching tool. For each of the nine questions, it shows where each candidate landed and the questionnaire, forum, or public record that position came from. Tap any source tag to open the original.

Positions are drawn from candidates’ own words: their written responses to local advocacy questionnaires, a recorded candidate forum, and their campaign platforms. Where a candidate has not taken a public position on a question, the tool says Not Stated rather than guessing.

The Sources

W1D Ward One Democrats

Ward-specific questionnaire; responses from all five candidates. Made no endorsement (no candidate met threshold).

GGW Greater Greater Washington

Housing/transit/safety questionnaire plus a ranked endorsement (Raj, Brown, Trindade Deramo). Questionnaire responses from Brown, Lynch, Raj, Trindade Deramo.

DC4D DC for Democracy

Issue questionnaire and endorsement (endorsed Raj); responses from all five candidates.

Forum DC for Democracy — Ward 1 Candidate Forum

Recorded candidate forum (video). Brown, Raj, Reyes Yanes, and Trindade Deramo participated.

DCY DC YIMBYs

Housing-supply questionnaire plus a ranked endorsement (Trindade Deramo, Brown, Raj). Responses from Brown, Raj, Trindade Deramo.

OppDC Opportunity DC

Public-safety and small-business questionnaire. Responses from Brown and Lynch; no endorsement.

CSD Capital Stonewall Democrats

LGBTQ-issues questionnaire (the Outvote guide). Responses from Brown, Raj, Reyes Yanes, Trindade Deramo; no endorsement.

GLAA Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance

Civil-liberties questionnaire and candidate ratings. Questionnaire responses from Raj and Trindade Deramo; GLAA rated all five and published a ranked preference (Trindade Deramo, Raj, Reyes Yanes, Brown, Lynch).

C100 Committee of 100 on the Federal City

Planning, zoning, Height Act, and historic-preservation questionnaire. Responses from Raj and Lynch.

BrownSite Rashida Brown — campaign site

Candidate’s published platform and ANC track record (rashidaforward1.com).

LynchSite Terry Lynch — campaign site

Candidate’s published platform (terrylynchfordc.com).

RajSite Aparna Raj — campaign site

Candidate’s published platform (aparnafordc.com).

ReyesSite Jackie Reyes Yanes — campaign site

Candidate’s published platform (jackieforward1.com).

MiguelSite Miguel Trindade Deramo — campaign site

Candidate’s published platform (miguelward1.com).

Positions by Question

Q1 / Federal Relationship

DC's next councilmember should take a confrontational, resistance-first posture toward the Trump administration and Congress — refusing to comply in advance and passing local laws even when Congress might overturn them — rather than prioritizing quiet negotiation and coalition-building to protect Home Rule.

Rashida Brown

Strongly Support

Frames the federal threat as “fascism,” pledges emergency legislation to close Sanctuary Values Act loopholes — “silence is complicity.” W1D Forum CSD

Terry Lynch

Support

Has repeatedly spoken out against federal actions (DOGE cuts, the shutdown, the troop surge) and says “there can be no cooperation with ICE” — vocal opposition, though without a formal legislative-resistance framework. DC4D

Aparna Raj

Strongly Support

The most confrontational — “resistance, not collaboration”; faults both the Mayor and the Council for being too passive; would end MPD–ICE collaboration and close sanctuary loopholes. W1D Forum GLAA

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Mixed

Protects immigrant residents and Home Rule but favors a measured, strategic, coalition-building approach — “balance ambition with strategic advocacy” — rather than confrontation-first. W1D Forum

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Strongly Support

Active resistance — the Home Rule Caucus, a “don’t obey in advance” stance, and his own ANC hearing on MPD–ICE coordination; would amend the Sanctuary Values Act. W1D GLAA Forum

Q2 / Public Safety

Ward 1 should address crime primarily by investing in violence interruption, mental-health response, and youth programming — alternatives to policing — even if that means not expanding police presence or enforcement on issues like open-air drug markets.

Rashida Brown

Support

Root-causes plus violence interruption (NEAR Act fidelity) and mental-health crisis response; on Opportunity DC she chose same-or-fewer officers and No on curfew zones, while partnering with MPD and Safe Passages. W1D DC4D OppDC

Terry Lynch

Oppose

The furthest toward enforcement — visible foot patrols and parking enforcement to break up drug markets; on Opportunity DC he chose the same number of officers and selected Yes on Chief-declared curfew zones, though he also backs after-school and youth programming. DC4D OppDC

Aparna Raj

Strongly Support

The furthest toward prevention — redirect MPD overtime spending, fund violence interrupters, and an “alternatives to policing” framing. W1D DC4D

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Mixed

Community policing and MPD oversight paired with prevention investments; on curfews, “targeted tools may be appropriate” for specific immediate threats but no blanket curfews. DC4D W1D

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Mixed

Balanced — rebuild MPD trust and “refocus MPD on community policing” with civilian oversight, paired with stabilizing violence interruption; neither divest nor enforcement-first. W1D CSD Forum

Q3 / Economy & Taxes

DC should raise taxes on wealthy corporations and high earners — such as a Business Activity Tax — to fund and restore services, rather than closing budget gaps mainly through spending efficiencies and program reviews.

Rashida Brown

Strongly Support

Backs a Business Activity Tax, a higher unincorporated-business franchise tax, taxing high earners, and resisting developer tax breaks. W1D

Terry Lynch

Support

Supports new taxes on the wealthiest corporations and individuals, plus higher taxes on vacant and blighted property. DC4D

Aparna Raj

Strongly Support

A Business Activity Tax on large corporations plus redirecting MPD overtime; would tax big business to restore the Alliance health program. W1D Forum

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Oppose

The lone fiscal moderate — prefers program evaluation, efficiency, and interagency coordination over new taxes; her site bills her as “the only candidate focused on growing our economy without raising taxes.” W1D ReyesSite

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Support

Favors reviving the Tax Revision Commission package (more progressive brackets, an estate tax) alongside growing the tax base through density. W1D

Q4 / Democracy & Elections

DC should implement open primaries (Initiative 83), allowing independent voters to participate in party primaries.

Rashida Brown

Strongly Support

Supports it emphatically — “73% is a mandate.” W1D

Terry Lynch

Strongly Oppose

The lone clear opponent — “open primaries threaten the integrity of parties.” W1D

Aparna Raj

Mixed

Will respect the voters’ decision but has voiced hesitation about open primaries’ effect on Democratic primaries. W1D

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Mixed

Noncommittal — calls open primaries “more complex” and takes no clear position. W1D

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Strongly Support

Co-led and steered the Initiative 83 campaign; the field’s strongest supporter. W1D DC4D

Q5 / Housing

Ward 1 should aggressively maximize new housing production — including dense, market-rate development — prioritizing growth over preserving the current scale and character of existing neighborhoods.

Rashida Brown

Support

A GGW housing target of ~72,000; backs legalizing sixplexes citywide and streamlining permitting; championed Park Morton, Bruce Monroe, and McMillan through years of lawsuits; her site cites securing funding, zoning, and Council approval for 400+ affordable units. GGW DCY CSD BrownSite

Terry Lynch

Mixed

The lowest GGW target (~36,000); supports housing “for all” but via eminent domain of vacant lots and buildings rather than growth-maximal market-rate density; is “very concerned” about by-right upzoning and supports keeping the Height Act. GGW DC4D C100

Aparna Raj

Support

Backs aggressive supply (legalize all housing types, density on transit corridors, all nine YIMBY priorities) but tenant-first and wary of corporate developers; pairs growth with deep-affordability requirements and supports Height Act repeal and the Office of Planning’s by-right upzoning. DCY W1D C100

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Oppose

Preservation-first — “prioritize people who already live here, not just future growth”; her site emphasizes anti-displacement tools (displacement-risk tracking, converting vacant buildings to affordable units, expedited permitting) over new growth, and she did not complete the housing-supply instruments. W1D Forum ReyesSite

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Strongly Support

The highest GGW target (~108,000) — missing-middle and market-rate starter homes, Comprehensive Plan density, and building on public land (Reeves Center, 1617 U St); backs all nine YIMBY priorities, and his site leads with “YES to more housing.” GGW DCY Forum MiguelSite

Q6 / Housing

DC has too many historic districts, and the Historic Preservation Review Board's power over a project's height and unit count should be curtailed so preservation rules can't block needed housing.

Rashida Brown

Support

Answered “too many historic districts” on GGW; did not go as far as stripping HPRB authority, but aligns with the curtail direction. GGW

Terry Lynch

Strongly Oppose

The lone preservationist — answered “not enough historic districts” on GGW, backs keeping the Height Act as “fundamental to protecting the historical integrity” of the city, and pledges legal action to protect historic fabric and districts. GGW C100

Aparna Raj

Support

Would appoint HPRB members who reject stretched historic claims and refuse to use preservation to block housing; answered “too many” districts (naming Cleveland Park) and backs Height Act repeal. GGW DCY C100

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Not Stated

Did not address historic preservation or HPRB authority; her campaign platform covers housing affordability, displacement, and small business but takes no position on preservation. Her preserve-existing-character disposition is suggestive but not a stated HPRB position. W1D ReyesSite

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Strongly Support

The furthest anti-preservation — would strip HPRB authority over a project’s height and unit count and shrink the U Street historic district. GGW DCY

Q7 / Housing

DC should significantly expand rent stabilization and tenant-purchase (TOPA) rights — extending them to more buildings — even if broader rent regulation risks slowing new construction.

Rashida Brown

Support

“Absolutely oppose” weakening TOPA; restore 2–4-unit TOPA, close loopholes, an anti-developer framing, and restore emergency rental assistance funding. DC4D W1D Forum

Terry Lynch

Support

Opposes weakening TOPA; would restore rights and close loopholes specifically to stop large trusts from buying up affordable stock, and strengthen rent control as “a key component for preserving existing affordable” housing. DC4D W1D C100

Aparna Raj

Strongly Support

The most expansionist — extend rent stabilization to all multifamily buildings and restore universal TOPA including single-family and 2–4-unit; fought the RENTAL Act; insists on inclusionary-zoning minimums and clawbacks on developer subsidies; her campaign site leads with rent control and affordable housing as top priorities. W1D DC4D DCY C100 RajSite

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Oppose

The most cautious on expansion — sympathetic to the 2–4-unit TOPA exemption as relief for small “family” landlords rather than large investors. DC4D

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Mixed

Supports TOPA and tenant protections but favors a calibrated “rolling-timeline” rent stabilization that exempts newer construction to protect supply — the reason DC YIMBYs ranked him above Raj. DCY W1D

Q8 / Transportation

DC should build the Park Road NW protected bike lane — and prioritize protected bike and bus infrastructure on contested corridors — even where it removes car travel lanes or parking.

Rashida Brown

Support

Supports it — “traffic safety measures are critical to keeping people alive” — and her site cites her ANC record working with DDOT to deliver traffic-calming and protected bike lanes on Kenyon, Warder, and Park Place. Forum BrownSite

Terry Lynch

Not Stated

Did not state a position on this specific project; his campaign site addresses street safety and cleanup only in general terms, and on GGW he backs bus lanes and “drive less” in principle but answered “enough cars / enough parking.” GGW LynchSite

Aparna Raj

Strongly Support

Strongly supports, citing rising traffic violence and her own difficulty biking east–west across the ward safely. Forum

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Mixed

Cautious — wants an intensive study to balance cyclists and rush-hour traffic “without causing chaos.” Forum

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Strongly Support

Fully supports; would fund DDOT’s protected-bike-lane backlog and better organize east–west traffic flow; his site says “YES to bike lanes, transit infrastructure.” Forum MiguelSite

Q9 / Education

DC should move away from mayoral control of schools toward more democratic governance, such as restoring meaningful authority to the elected State Board of Education.

Rashida Brown

Support

Supports reducing centralized mayoral control and restoring democratic voice and accountability. DC4D

Terry Lynch

Strongly Oppose

The lone defender of mayoral control — argues from experience as a public-school parent that it created accountability the elected school board lacked. DC4D

Aparna Raj

Support

Supports the coalition for more democratic control — remove OSSE from mayoral control and grant authority to the elected State Board. DC4D

Jackie Reyes Yanes

Support

Supports restoring meaningful authority to the elected State Board with clear checks and balances, while noting the mayor retains “an important role.” DC4D

Miguel Trindade Deramo

Support

Favors increasing popular voice; the current mayoral-control mechanism is “too diffuse” to deliver accountability. DC4D