A new poll shows broad support among Washington, D.C., voters for youth curfews, a policy that leading mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George has opposed, even as she maintains a double-digit lead in the race to succeed Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Lewis George leads her nearest rival, Kenyan McDuffie, by 11 percentage points among likely Democratic primary voters with less than two weeks remaining before the June 16 election, according to a Washington Post–Schar School poll. Roughly a quarter of voters remain undecided, leaving room for movement in the final stretch of the campaign.
Lewis George, a democratic socialist who represents Ward 4 on the D.C. Council, has emerged as the front-runner in a race that will shape the city’s post-Bowser era after more than a decade of her leadership. Several council seats and the district’s non-voting congressional seat are also on the ballot, adding to what is expected to be a consequential election for the city.
The poll found that 71% of registered voters support restricting teenagers from gathering in certain parts of the city at night, while just 20% oppose the policy. McDuffie has made the issue a central focus of his campaign in recent weeks, holding press conferences and condemning Lewis George for opposing youth curfew proposals before the council.
Earlier this year, Bowser imposed strict juvenile curfews after groups of young people took over streets, and most recently, a Navy Yard Chipotle. These events, often organized on social media, caught the attention of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who vowed that those who participate in the so-called “teen takeovers” would face fines of up to $500 and possible jail time.
“Janeese Lewis George voted against teen curfews at least six times and blocked extended rec center hours on Fridays and Saturdays for teens to further her own agenda — that’s not putting DC families first,” McDuffie wrote in a post on X.
On Tuesday, Bowser criticized Lewis George for her opposition to youth curfew policies.
“I am greatly disappointed that five members of Council are essentially obstructing the council from moving forward on this important public safety legislation,” Bowser wrote, explicitly naming the council members who blocked the votes, including Lewis George.
While McDuffie holds an advantage on crime, voters give Lewis George higher marks on affordability and education, two issues that have helped fuel her lead.
Among likely Democratic primary voters, 36% identified Lewis George as their first choice, compared with 25% for McDuffie. The remaining candidates each received less than 5% support.
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Lewis George’s strongest support comes from younger voters and residents who have lived in the city for fewer than 20 years. She holds a commanding 37-point lead in Ward 1 and a 16-point advantage in Ward 6. Her edge narrows east of the Anacostia River, however, where she and McDuffie are effectively tied, and more than 4 in 10 voters remain undecided.
The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points among registered voters and 3.7 percentage points among the sample of 836 registered Democrats and likely primary voters. Likely voter results were generated by assigning all registered voters a probability of turnout.