WASHINGTON (DC News Now) – Washington residents have the chance to vote for the next mayor for the first time in more than a decade after Mayor Muriel Bowser declared she would not run for a fourth term. Primary Election Day is June 16.

DC News Now
By Kadie Fishman
June 16, 2026

Robert Gross, a Washington native and member of the D.C. Statehood Green Party, is running to be the next mayor of the District with plans to improve the governmental system.

Gross’ priorities include housing and commerce, education and opportunity, civic access and efficiency, public safety and government operations, human well-being, economic growth and prosperity, according to his campaign website. His agenda is organized through the Human Life Standard, a governance framework designed to assess whether policies “actually improve” the daily lives of D.C. residents.

“Under the HLS, Washington, D.C. stops managing crises and begins building systems that prevent them, ensuring every household has the chance to not just survive, but to thrive,” his website states. “It realigns our government around the wellbeing of its residents by driving policy decisions that are transparent, measurable and accountable.”

In a segment for Sunrise on the Hill, Gross spoke about his plan to modernize the government through artificial intelligence integration. According to his campaign, the technology would be used to improve city budgeting accuracy, streamline permits and housing development approvals, modernize outdated government systems, enhance public service delivery and provide real-time government performance dashboards.

“I believe that AI is an assistance, not a replacement,” Gross said in his Sunrise interview.

By modernizing the government, Gross hopes to address affordability, a hot-button issue for this year’s mayoral race. If elected mayor, Gross said he would introduce the “District Housing Utilization and Family Stability Act” to reform the housing voucher structure by creating family housing vouchers prioritizing households with children, and individual housing vouchers designed for single residents, seniors and workers.

In this bill, new housing construction and major renovations would follow a “Green Housing Modernization Standard,” aligning with the District’s climate and affordability goals, according to Gross’ campaign.

As a member of the D.C. Statehood Green Party, Gross cites climate resiliency and sustainability as issues important to him. Along with climate-resilient housing, Gross wants to advance clean and electrified public transportation, green infrastructure, energy-efficient buildings and the urban tree canopy.

Gross is the youngest candidate in the District’s mayoral race and sees this as a strength, according to his website.

“Like many in his generation, he understands that the stakes are high and that the future of Washington, D.C. must be built with courage, innovation and responsibility.”

To learn more about Robert Gross, click here.