The D.C. Board of Elections shall conduct a special election in order to elect an individual to serve the unexpired portion of the term of office vacated, except that no special election shall be conducted when:
At the time of the certification of a vacancy, the Board shall, if applicable, call a special election. A call for a special election shall include the following:
A special election held pursuant to this chapter shall be held on a Tuesday occurring at least seventy (70) days and not more than one hundred seventy-four (174) days after the date on which such vacancy occurs, which the Board determines, based on a totality of the circumstances, taking into account, inter alia, cultural and religious holidays and the administrability of the election, will provide the opportunity for the greatest level of voter participation.
Within seven (7) days after the certification of a vacancy, the Board shall make available nomination petition forms to candidates seeking nomination to fill the vacancy.
The qualifications for ballot access of candidates and the rules governing the access in any special election held to fill a vacancy shall be the same as those for direct nomination to the office in any general election, as provided for in D.C. Official Code §1 - 1001.08(j) (2012 Repl.) and Chapter 16 of this title.
All elections provided in this section are special elections, even though the balloting may be at the same time as a previously scheduled primary or general election.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 3, r. 3-910