{{Short description|American politician (born 1961)}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Yvette M. Alexander | honorific_suffix = | image = Yvette Alexander 2009.jpg | order = | office = Member of the Council of the District of Columbia from Ward 7 | term_start = January 2, 2007 | term_end = January 3, 2017 | predecessor = Vincent C. Gray | successor = Vincent C. Gray | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|10|1}} | birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | birth_name = | party = Democratic | other_party = <!--For additional political affiliations--> | spouse = | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = | children = | alma_mater = Howard University | occupation = | profession = | cabinet = | committees = Health and Human Services, Chair<br>Education | portfolio = <!-- unknown parameter "religion" --> | signature = | website = | footnotes = | blank1 = | data1 = | blank2 = | data2 = | blank3 = | data3 = | blank4 = | data4 = | blank5 = | data5 = <!--Military service--> | nickname = | allegiance = | branch = | service_years = | rank = | unit = | commands = | battles = | awards = | military_blank1 = | military_data1 = | military_blank2 = | military_data2 = | military_blank3 = | military_data3 = | military_blank4 = | military_data4 = | military_blank5 = | military_data5 = }} <!-- '''Yvette M. Alexander''' (born October 1, 1961 in the District of Columbia)<ref name=guide>{{cite news |title=Local Elections 2008 [actually 2007]: Yvette M. Alexander (D) |work=The Washington Post |date=2007 }}</ref> is a Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. In 2007 she was elected to represent Ward 7 on the Council of the District of Columbia in a special election. She succeeded her political mentor Vincent C. Gray when he became council chairman. --> '''Yvette M. Alexander''' (born October 1, 1961,<ref>''U.S. Public Records Index'', Vol. 1 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), 2010.</ref> in the District of Columbia<ref name=guide>{{cite news |title=Local Elections 2008 [actually 2007]: Yvette M. Alexander (D) |newspaper=The Washington Post |year=2007 }}</ref>) is a Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. She represented Ward 7 on the Council of the District of Columbia from 2007 to 2017.
==Education== Alexander has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University,<ref name=guide/> and did graduate work at Trinity College.
==Political career== On May 1, 2007, Alexander won the special election to succeed her political mentor Vincent C. Gray. Gray had represented Ward 7 before he became council chairman in January. She received 34 percent of the vote, beating 17 other candidates (14 Democrats and 4 independents).<ref>{{cite web |title=Certified May 1st Special Election Results - Ward Report |author=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |date=2007-05-11 |access-date=2008-07-18 |url=http://dcboee.org/nws/news_frame.asp?filename=nr_112.pdf&mid=5&yid=2007&type=News%20Releases&hl=t }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=James |last=Jones |title=LL's Special-Election Picks: Who to vote for, and why |url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/loose-lips/article/13004985/lls-special-election-picks |work=Loose Lips |publisher=Washington City Paper |location=Washington, D.C. |date=April 25, 2007 |access-date=2009-04-09 |quote=In the race to replace Council Chairman Vincent Gray in Ward 7, voters face a choice similar to their Ward 4 neighbors. The contest appears to come down to hard-driving newcomer and Fenty imitator Victor Vandell and longtime political activist Yvette Alexander, who has Gray's backing. The chairman has invested a lot of political capital in Alexander. Her weightiest credentials involve membership in lots of Democratic Party organizations and her activities with various community groups. LL has a hard time ignoring Alexander's charm and her ability to reach out to people. She would be a compassionate addition to the council. But a winning personality and great smile aren't enough to get the job done for one of the city's neediest wards. If Ward 7 residents want a continuation of Gray's short run as the Ward 7 representative, they will get it with Alexander. It is impossible to imagine her making a big decision without his guidance.}}</ref>
She faced a Democratic primary for re-election on September 9, 2008. Notable opponents in that Democratic primary were John Campbell and Robin Hammond Marlin.<ref name=2008primary>{{cite web |title=List of Candidates for the September 9, 2008 Congressional and Council Primary Election |author=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |author-link=District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics |date=2008-07-17 |access-date=2008-07-18 |url=http://dcboee.org/nws/news_frame.asp?filename=pn_146.pdf&mid=5&yid=2008&type=News%20Releases&hl=t |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080716191058/http://www.dcboee.org/nws/news_frame.asp?filename=pn_146.pdf&mid=5&yid=2008&type=News%20Releases&hl=t <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2008-07-16}}</ref> No individuals filed to appear on the ballot for the Republican or Statehood-Green parties.<ref name=2008primary/> Alexander won the primary and general election.
Alexander lobbied other state delegations for DC voting rights at the 2004 Democratic Convention in Boston, Massachusetts. She was an Obama superdelegate (though formally unpledged) to the 2008 Democratic National Convention, although she had endorsed Barack Obama before Hillary Clinton conceded the race.<ref name=delegate>{{cite news |first=Mike |last=DeBonis |author-link=<!-- Mike DeBonis --> |title=Clinton Snags Unlikely D.C. Delegate Slot |url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/04/04/clinton-snags-unlikely-dc-delegate-slot/ |publisher=Washington City Paper |date=Apr 4, 2008 |access-date=2009-04-09 |quote=The D.C. Democratic State Committee met ... to select a pair of unpledged add-on "superdelegates." ... "Unpledged" in this case is a bit misleading; most delegate candidates' presidential preferences were already widely known to voters...<br>Obama organizers hoped to prevent a split vote by steering support to two delegate candidates: Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander, a longtime state committee member and favorite of the old guard, and lawyer Miriam Sapiro, a relative unknown favored by the grassroots types.}}</ref>
After losing her council seat in 2017, Alexander started a health care consulting practice.<ref name=ll.2017>{{cite news |first=Jeffrey |last=Anderson |title=Yvette Alexander Eyes a Comeback |url=https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/loose-lips/news/20985705/yvette-alexander-eyes-a-comeback |work=Loose Lips |publisher=Washington City Paper |location=Washington, D.C. |date=December 13, 2017 |access-date=December 13, 2017 |archive-date=December 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213190805/https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/loose-lips/news/20985705/yvette-alexander-eyes-a-comeback |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Political positions== Alexander was one of two DC council members to reject gay marriage when it was put to vote November 10, 2009, by the Council of the District of Columbia.<ref name="marriage">{{cite news |first=Elizabeth|last=Gorman|title=D.C. Council Votes to Allow Same-Sex Marriage, Mayor Fenty to Sign|publisher=ABC News |location=Washington, D.C. |date=November 30, 2009 }}</ref>
Alexander opposed DC's Death with Dignity legislation that would allow terminally ill patients to end their suffering.<ref name="dwd">{{cite news |first=Fenit |last=Nirappil|title='An act of kindness': Medical aid-in-dying legislation advances in the District|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/an-act-of-kindness-medical-aid-in-dying-legislation-advances-in-the-district/2016/10/05/1202ee8e-8b0f-11e6-875e-2c1bfe943b66_story.html |work=Loose Lips |publisher=Washington Post |location=Washington, D.C. |date=October 5, 2016 |access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref>
Alexander was active in the campaign to have a DC-based barbershop properly replace its lighting. She insisted the responsible government agency, DCRA, use its oversight to get the business to correct the sign from "Sex Barbershop" to "Unisex Barbershop".<ref name=wcp.barbershop>{{cite news |first=Will |last=Sommer|title=Councilmember, Business Owner Tussle Over 'Sex Barbershop|url=https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/loose-lips/blog/20832377/councilmember-wants-change-to-sex-barbershop |work=Loose Lips |publisher=Washington City Paper |location=Washington, D.C. |date=August 31, 2016 |access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref><ref name=fox5>{{cite news |author=fox5dc.com staff|title='Sex Barbershop' sign causes stir in DC|url=https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/loose-lips/blog/20832377/councilmember-wants-change-to-sex-barbershop |work=Fox 5 |publisher=Fox 5|location=Washington, D.C. |date=September 1, 2016 |access-date=December 13, 2017}}</ref>
== Personal life == Alexander is Catholic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zimmerman |first=Mark |title=At centennial Mass for Holy Redeemer Parish in D.C., cardinal says Advent, like church's milestone, is a special time of grace |url=https://www.cathstan.org/faith/at-centennial-mass-for-holy-redeemer-parish-in-d-c-cardinal-says-advent-like-church-s-milestone-is-a-special-time-of-grace |access-date=October 5, 2024 |website=Catholic Standard |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071016053615/http://www.yvettealexander.org/ Yvette Alexander]}} (campaign website) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090328083107/http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/yvettealexander Councilmember Yvette M. Alexander Biography] (official website)
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-dc}} {{s-bef | before=Vincent C. Gray}} {{s-ttl |title=Ward 7 Member, {{nowrap|Council of the District of Columbia}} |years=2007–2017 }} {{s-aft | after=Vincent C. Gray}} {{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Yvette}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century African-American women politicians Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century Roman Catholics Category:21st-century African-American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century Roman Catholics Category:21st-century Washington, D.C., politicians Category:African-American Catholics Category:African-American city council members Category:African-American people in Washington, D.C., politics Category:American Roman Catholics Category:Howard University alumni Category:Members of the Council of the District of Columbia Category:Washington, D.C., Democrats Category:Women city councillors in the District of Columbia Category:Long stubs with short prose
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