With Ballots Cast, ACLU-D.C. Is “Ready to Get to Work” With New Mayor, Council, and Congress

WASHINGTON – With ballots cast in the 2026 election, the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia celebrated it as “a triumph for democracy” while looking ahead to the policy debates to come.

Monica Hopkins, executive director of the ACLU of D.C. said:

“The people have cast our ballots, and that’s a triumph for democracy. We defend democracy, not for its own sake, but to build a government that serves the people. The candidates we’ve elected are answerable to us.

“We are ready to get to work with our new slate of elected leaders. The District is facing numerous challenges, and it’s critical that elected officials make our civil rights and liberties a cornerstone of their vision and policies moving forward.

“Every District resident deserves dignity, fairness, and the opportunity to thrive. We know that well-resourced communities are the safest communities, which is why we are calling on District leaders to prioritize prevention and support. It’s time to recognize that more police and more jail time have not and will never solve all our problems.

“We also need the mayor and the Council to be strong in the face of the Trump administration’s attacks on our home. To counter the administration’s attempt at a hostile takeover, we call on the incoming Council to prioritize making federal agents accountable when they violate our rights. A federal badge should never be your ticket out of accountability.

“All elected D.C. leaders need to band together in support of D.C. Statehood and against the federal government meddling in the District’s affairs. With the 120th Congress, we hope to see an end to the days of congress overturning the decisions of D.C.’s elected officials and undermining the will of D.C. residents and taxpayers. We hope to see a new age in which Congress recognizes that it cannot govern D.C. better than our own people.”