y1327 Girard Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009-4915

202-234-6982http://www.dcwatch.com

September 2, 2011

Mr. Togo WestChairman, DC Board of Elections and Ethics441 4th Street, NW, Suite 250NWashington, DC 20001

Mr. Kenneth McGhieGeneral Counsel, DC Board of Elections and Ethics441 4th Street, NW, Suite 250NWashington, DC 20001

Mr. Paul StenbjornExecutive Director, DC Board of Elections and Ethics441 4th Street, NW, Suite 250NWashington, DC 20001

Re: Complaint Regarding Andrea Pringle

Messrs West, McGhie, and Stenbjorn:

I am filing a formal complaint against Andrea Pringle for violating the District’s CorruptElection Practices Act (DC Code 1-1001.14).

Ms. Pringle is, and for the past eighteen months has been, a resident of MontgomeryCounty, Maryland, living at 5805 Edson Lane, #203, North Bethesda, Maryland 20852.She, nevertheless, voted in the September 9, 2010, primary election in the District ofColumbia.

As you may know, on Tuesday, August 30, Mayor Gray held a press conference toannounce his selection of Ms. Pringle as his Deputy Chief of Staff. In a press release(http://www.dcwatch.com/mayor/110830a.htm), Mayor Gray stated that, “Chris Murphy[his nominee as Chief of Staff] and Andi Pringle bring vast experience, expertise, politi-cal acumen and understanding of multiple aspects of how a government like the Districtfunctions. . . . More importantly, they are committed to ensuring we have an ethical,accountable, and transparent administration that continues working hard to advance byvision of ‘One City’ moving forward together.”

Executive DirectorDorothy A. Brizill

On her resume (http://www.dcwatch.com/mayor/110830c.htm), Ms. Pringle gives the above address inBethesda as her residence. During the August 30, 2011, press conference at which her appointment wasannounced, and at a subsequent August 31, 2011, breakfast meeting with a group of reporters, Ms.Pringle publicly stated that she has lived in Montgomery County for the past eighteen months. Themayor’s press release, cited above, even promised that, “Ms. Pringle will move back into the District.”

It is clear that at the time Ms. Pringle voted in the District’s September 9, 2010, primary election, shelived in Bethesda, Maryland, and was fully aware that she was not a resident of the District of Columbia.It is especially troubling that Ms. Pringle chose to violate the District’s election laws given herbackground. As her resume notes, Ms. Pringle has an extensive background as a elections and politicalcampaign consultant, and has worked on a variety of local and national political campaigns (for example,for Howard Dean, Carol Mosely Braun, Bill Richardson, and Vincent Orange), and in that capacity shewould be expected to have gained familiarity with basic election laws and practices — for example, thatonly duly registered voters can vote, and only in the jurisdiction where they live, and that a voter’s possi-ble intention to move into a jurisdiction at some time in the future does not give a voter the right to votein that jurisdiction more than a year in advance.

In a Washington Post article published today, Ms. Pringle acknowledged that she voted in a Districtelection while living in Maryland, (Nikita Stewart, “New Appointee Voted in D.C., Lived in Md.,”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-wire/post/new-appointee-voted-in-dc-lived-in-md/2011/09/01/gIQAfJPavJ_blog.html#pagebreak).

Given the facts in this matter and Ms. Pringle’s acknowledgment of them, I hope that the Board’s investi-gation and resolution of this matter can be concluded swiftly. If you require any additional information, Ican be reached at 202-234-6982 or dorothy@dcwatch.com.

Sincerely,

Dorothy Brizill

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