When residents learned of the news, one ANC commissioner drew up a flier warning students about the possible consequences of registering as D.C. voters. That, in turn, led students to ask the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics to launch an investigation. In the spring, Campaign Georgetown, the school's voter registration drive, supported an effort by two juniors, Rebecca Sinderbrand and James Fogarty, both 19, to get on the Nov. 5 ballot. But residents say students can't possibly understand the wide range of long-term issues that concern the neighborhood. Six ANC districts encompass parts of the university.
Commissioners serve two-year terms and are unsalaried and nonpartisan.
And although university students have run for ANC offices before, Georgetown administrators could not recall any election that has generated such controversy. Georgetown residents distributed several hundred copies in dormitories and student houses. The flier told students that registering to vote in the District could cause them to lose grant money from their home states. The fliers also stated that students must pay D.C. income taxes, obtain D.C. driver's licenses and register their cars in the District. Two parking stickers would be revoked, the flier said.