Photo by yonas1.

Good morning, Washington. We’ve all made the joke during election season: none of the candidates are appealing — I’ll just write myself in! Of course, such decisions can have tangible effects. Take Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Nicole Pugh, who won her seat after showing up to vote last November and writing in her own name for the ANC position. (Only three total votes were cast, all write-ins.) ANC 8E01 hadn’t had a representative for 14 years, but luckily Pugh is a “self-titled policy wonk,” exactly the type of person who can find attending a ton of lengthy community meetings and dealing with the gripes of constituents for no pay “reeeally fun.” Of course, ANCs play a vital role in the way our city runs, and its an important calling for those who take on the responsibility — if you’re new to the area and aren’t really sure what they do, we suggest reading our primer.

D.C. Slips Slightly on AIDS Prevention Report Card: A new report shows that the District is slightly falling behind in its efforts to battle AIDS. According to the DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, the city lacked leadership on the issue in the waning days of the Adrian Fenty mayoralty, and fell behind on data gathering and tracking and managing grants to AIDS prevention groups — the first time since DC Appleseed began tracking performance in 2005 that the city has taken a step back. It’s estimated that at least three percent of Washington residents have HIV or AIDS; the District’s largest needle-exchange provider, PreventionWorks, closed its doors on February 25 after funding ran dry. Mayor Vince Gray has appointed a 27-person HIV/AIDS committee and the group will meet for the first time today.

Shocking: Pepco’s “ready-shoot-aim approach” to improve reliability around the D.C. region was “cobbled together” and is “a quick attempt to throw money at the problem, or, more accurately, to quickly promise to throw money at the problem” — that’s according to consultants who reviewed the plan for Maryland regulators. Pepco’s plan — which mostly involves tree-trimming — would cost customers about a dollar more per month. The consultants found that Pepco also “does not perform after-storm inspections or patrols” to look for broken power poles, guy wires and insulators after major storms.

Briefly Noted: D.C. Public Schools to get budget boost…Everyone, aside from WTU President Nathan Saunders, is pretty comfortable with impending appointment of Kaya Henderson to permanent DCPS Chancellor…Three hurt after battery explodes in warehouse at 2800 New York Avenue NE…”East Coast” rapist to police: “Why haven’t you picked me up sooner?”…P.G. police shoot and kill man waving gun in neighborhood near FedEx Field…Rolling Stone slaps down Dan Snyder for City Paper lawsuit…Nicely done, Tom Toles.

This Day in DCist: Last year, readers debated the installation of more electronic billboards in Gallery Place and a laid off teacher filed suit against former chancellor Michelle Rhee for “defamation, false light and infliction of emotional distress.”