The D.C. Board of Elections overturned a ruling by the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance ordering D.C. Council member Elissa Silverman to repay more than $6,000.
The ruling stated Silverman, an at-large Council member, violated campaign finance laws by using taxpayer-funded calling funds to conduct a poll about the Ward 3 Democratic primary.
The OCF ruling came before the Nov. 8 general election in which Silverman, an Independent, lost her bid for a third term on the Council.
In a 3-0 decision Monday, the BOE determined Silverman’s polling was allowed as a fair elections expense under D.C. campaign finance law.
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"Unfortunately, the board’s unanimous decision today does not change the result of the election,” Silverman said in a statement. “I lost my reelection because of the flawed and rushed OCF decision."
