1998 Washington, D.C., mayoral election

On November 3, 1998, Washington, D.C., held an election for its mayor. The Democratic candidate, former chief financial officer (CFO) Anthony A. Williams, defeated Republican candidate Carol Schwartz, a member of the Council of the District of Columbia. The parties' primary elections had been held on September 15, 1998.

1998 Washington, D.C., mayoral election

November 3, 1998
Turnout	40.2%
Nominee Anthony A. Williams Carol Schwartz Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 92,504 42,280 Percentage 66.16% 30.24%
Mayor before election Marion Barry Democratic Elected mayor Anthony A. Williams Democratic

Party primaries

Anthony A. Williams, who had been appointed as chief financial officer under outgoing mayor Marion Barry in 1995, ran as a technocratic candidate against three members of the Council of the District of Columbia. The Washington Post reported that the entry of Williams, who at the time had only resided in DC for three years, "vastly changed the playing field for three council members who had prepared to run against Barry or against each other in the Democratic primary".

His closest opponent, councilmember Kevin P. Chavous, received the support of the Metropolitan Washington AFL-CIO, their first mayoral primary endorsement since the 1986 Washington election.

Democratic primary

District of Columbia Democratic primary election, 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Anthony A. Williams	45,216	49.91
	Democratic	Kevin P. Chavous	31,499	34.77
	Democratic	Jack Evans	8,621	9.52
	Democratic	Harold Brazil	3,994	4.41
	Democratic	Sylvia Robinson-Green	363	0.40
	Democratic	Jeff Gildenhorn	358	0.40
	Democratic	Osie Thorpe	167	0.18
	Democratic	Write-in	367	0.41
Total votes			90,585	100

Republican primary

Councilwoman Carol Schwartz won the Republican nomination as the only candidate on the primary ballot. Former US Senator from South Dakota Larry Pressler considered a run for mayor but ultimately decided against it.

District of Columbia Republican primary election, 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Carol Schwartz	2,516	88.53
	Republican	Write-in	326	11.47
Total votes			2,842	100

D.C. Statehood primary

District of Columbia Statehood primary election, 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	DC Statehood	John Gloster	245	62.98
	DC Statehood	Write-in	144	37.02
Total votes			389	100

Umoja Party primary

District of Columbia Umoja primary election, 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Umoja	Write-in	128	100
Total votes			128	100

General election

District of Columbia mayoral election, 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Anthony A. Williams	92,504	66.16
	Republican	Carol Schwartz	42,280	30.24
	DC Statehood	John Gloster	2,312	1.65
	Independent	Alpha Brown	693	0.49
	Independent	Brian P. Moore	501	0.36
	Independent	Faith Dane	430	0.31
	Socialist Workers	Sam Manuel	330	0.24
	Independent	Albert Ceccone	236	0.17
	Write-in		539	0.38
Total votes			139,825	100
	Democratic hold