Election night was marked by the presidential election’s shocking upset, but at least one vote went as expected: the District’s statehood referendum. While the ballot referendum is legally meaningless, voters were resolute, with 80 percent in support of Congress finally giving the District voter representation.

The favored D.C. Council candidates looked cruised into their seats, but there shakeups in some State Board of Education races.

At-Large Councilmembers Robert White and David Grosso kept their seats, with 53 percent and 25 percent of the vote, respectively. Ward 2 incumbent Jack Evans and Ward 4 incumbent Brandon Todd, both of whom ran unopposed in the general election, will keep their seats, as will Ward 8 Democratic nominee Trayon White. 

Ex-mayor Vince Gray, who survived a campaign finance investigation that he has blamed for his 2014 mayoral loss against Muriel Bowser, is headed to the Council. He handily beat independent challengers for the Ward 7 Council seat with nearly 87 percent of the vote. 

What few surprises the District’s elections have are the State Board of Education. Incumbent Ward 2 member Jack Jacobson and Ward 4 member Lannette Woodruff are cruising to re-election without challengers, while incumbent Ward 7 member Karen Williams is set to handily beat her challengers.

In Ward 8, though, incumbent Tierra Jolly fell to challenger Markus Batchelor at 29.41 percent to 31.23 percent, respectively. At-large incumbent Mary Lord, who has been on the board since its inception nine years ago, was upset by opponent Ashley Carter, 28.87 percent to 32.4 percent.