Before casting his ballot in his Ward 7 precinct today, Vince Gray had a question for a poll worker: Could he vote for No. 6 on the ballot?

No. 6 on the ballot is Gray himself, whom Gray declared “a winner.” Before entering the Washington Seniors Wellness Center, Gray turned his campaign T-shirt into a half-shirt to avoid restrictions on electioneering.

Gray was able to vote, but most of his constituents haven’t. Before Gray’s arrival around 10 a.m., fewer than 100 people had voted at his precinct. Similarly, a spirited competition between Gray and Muriel Bowser supporters for voters at Bowser’s precinct was somewhat undercut by the near absence of any voters beside Bowser herself.

Gray, who’s set to spend the early afternoon in wards 7 and 8 before heading west of the Anacostia River, claims that what little voter excitement there is today belongs to his camp.
“I haven’t seen the ones that haven’t shown up yet, of course, but the ones I’ve seen are very enthusiastic,” Gray says.

Photo by Will Sommer