ANC 3F Candidates Campaign on Election Day 2010

Candidates' signs line the sidewalk outside Murch Elementary School on November 2, 2010.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3F01 candidates Mike Siegel and Adam Tope were campaigning early this morning near Murch Elementary School, Precinct 33 in Ward 3.

Siegel is a public and environmental finance consultant and member of the School Modernization Committee.  Tope is an associate with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he practices corporate and securities law, and volunteers as a Metropolitan Police Department block captain.

Siegel sees development and traffic as two key issues in the community, and would like to advance parent and community involvement in school modernization planning and coordination between area ANCs on areas of overlapping concern. If elected, Siegel will focus on walkable communities with a greater emphasis on alternative transit.

Tope's priorities include public safety and ANC accessibility.  He promises an ANC website and email listserv within 30 days of election.  He would like to increase awareness of crime prevention and attract businesses to fill Connecticut Avenue storefronts.

Both candidates say they will focus on increasing pedestrian safety in the neighborhood.  One issue either candidate might face once elected is bringing together the neighborhood's disparate interests.

"You have a combination of large apartment buildings, single-family homes, businesses, schools, and development in this ANC," says ANC 3F03 candidate Karen Beiley, "and you have to make sure they all work together."

Beiley, who is running uncontested, spent this morning introducing herself to voters near Murch Elementary School.  Supporters of mayoral candidate Vincent Gray and incumbent D.C. Council Member Mary Cheh were also on site, as well as two women urging a write-in campaign for Mayor Adrian Fenty.

Several election volunteers at precinct 33 said the polling location was busy this morning.  They found this to be surprising given the fact that many races this year were determined during the primaries or were not contested.

You can read more about the ANC 3F01 candidates in our interviews with Michael Siegel and Adam Tope.