Photo by jagosaurus

After an exhausting national election season, D.C.’s primary is here at long last. While Republicans already voted for their presidential nominee (the D.C. GOP went for Rubio for what that’s worth), and Hillary Clinton has already been declared the presumptive Democratic nominee, we always knew the primary would be meaningless.

Except it’s not. There are still competitive local elections going on. And if you clogged up your friends’ Facebook feeds with ranting about your preferred presidential candidate, but don’t know what ward you live in or who represents it … well, stop being a hypocrite and figure it out.

Because the 13 people who sit on the Council (six of whom are up for re-election this year) and the mayor (who isn’t) wield an extraordinary amount of power over a population that is bigger than two states. There’s no bifurcated state legislature to complicate things. There’s no partisan fighting (note: I didn’t say “no fighting”), since they’re all Democrats with the exception of two At-large seats reserved for non-Dems. And even though our Congressional keepers have oversight, they only break it out for a select few hot-button issues.

D.C.’s relative flexibility in enacting legislation and the generally aligned politics of our lawmakers mean that the District is often among the first to adopt certain policies (see: ban the box, paid sick leave, the $15 minimum wage). And the rest of the nation pays attention to how they go.

But if you haven’t been following the goings-on at the John Wilson Building, much of the current election boils down to a division between those who are closely aligned with Mayor Muriel Bowser and those who feel there ought to be more independent voices on the Council.

So, beyond the presidential race, here’s what you’ll find on the ballot:

Wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6:

You’re off the hook. Incumbent (and longest-serving councilmember) Jack Evans is running unopposed for the Ward 2 seat. The others aren’t up for re-election this year.

Ward 4:

Despite a truly embarrassing Googling incident, Brandon Todd won a decisive victory against a gaggle of opponents in last year’s special election to succeed his former boss. Todd, who served as a constituent services director for then-Councilmember Muriel Bowser, campaigned on his close ties to the mayor (and with her fundraising apparatus behind him). And while on the dais, he’s proven to be an exceptionally reliable ally for the mayor. Among the bills he has introduced are proposals to make licenses free for veterans and raise fines for graffiti.

This year, Todd is only facing one serious challenger: Leon Andrews (two others, Ron Austin and Calvin Gurley, haven’t raised much money). Seven people who ran in the special election have all endorsed Andrews, who pledges “not to be a rubber stamp for the mayor.” But although the Brightwood resident came out way ahead in a Petworth News poll, he likely faces an uphill battle for name recognition in the ward.

Ward 7:

If you’ve only seen coverage of one local election, then this is the one. Former Mayor Vincent Gray is taking on incumbent (and his hand-picked successor) Yvette Alexander in a comeback bid. Polls have consistently shown him leading in a race that has involved serious mudslinging from both sides.

Alexander’s critics—Gray, the loudest among them—charge that she’s been an ineffective lawmaker since she was first elected in 2007. Even in endorsing Alexander, the Washington Post editorial board couldn’t muster up anything more positive than the fact that she wasn’t the subject of a federal investigation. Still, she also has the backing of the mayor.

Meanwhile, Gray’s critics—Alexander the loudest among them—argue that even though he wasn’t charged in the four-year investigation, that doesn’t necessarily mean he was innocent. Alexander has also argued that Gray’s bid is about “revenge and retaliation” against the mayor, who beat him in 2014.

Ward 8:

It’s a rematch in Ward 8, as the two leading candidates to replace Marion Barry in last year’s special election duke it out for a second time.

The incumbent here is LaRuby May, who won the special election by fewer than 100 votes. She’s a former campaign staffer for Bowser, and has the mayor’s endorsement (and fundraising machine, which has helped her dominate when it comes to campaign money). She votes with Bowser on a consistent basis, even if sometimes those choices confuse her own staffers. During her year on the council, May has introduced legislation to increase fines for graffiti, along with Todd, and has supported efforts to increase training for special police officers. She also stands behind the mayor’s crime prevention initiatives.

Trayon White is the candidate who lost to May in last year’s squeaker. He previously worked in the office of D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine and was elected a School Board Representative at D.C. State Board of Education in 2011. White brought attention to discolored drinking water at MLK Elementary in April. And while he doesn’t have a mayor on his side, it turns out he does have a former mayor. Vince Gray is funding a robocall promoting White, Washington City Paper reports. — Rachel Kurzius

At-large:

After nearly two decades in District politics, At-large Councilmember Vincent Orange is facing re-election against challengers who paint him as corrupt and ineffective. But although Orange was considered a weak candidate, his challengers are likely to once again split the vote.

While their politics and criticisms of Orange are similar, Robert White is Orange’s stronger foe, with more endorsements and a slight lead over David Garber in the polls. Greater, Greater Washington, for example, said both White and Garber would make for excellent councilmembers, but ultimately sided with White. Still, neither of them were willing to back away and consolidate the anti-Orange vote. Meanwhile, Orange has Bowser’s backing and is riding high on the deal for a $15 minimum wage.

One of the others At-large seats, currently held by David Grosso and reserved for a non-Democrat, is also up for re-election in November. Republican Carolina Celnik, Statehood Green candidate G. Lee Aikin, and independent Drew Franklin plan to challenge him.

The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Voters can find their polling location here.