Robert C. White Jr., a Democrat poised to succeed Eleanor Holmes Norton as the District of Columbia’s delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, announced his intention to resign from the D.C. Council by Monday to safeguard his eligibility for Congress.

White’s decision follows new legal guidance concerning a long-standing statute that governs the qualifications for the delegate seat. The law, enacted in 1970, prohibits a delegate candidate from holding paid public office, including serving as a council member, on the date of the election.

Initially, White believed this meant he needed to step down only by the certification of the election results, scheduled for December 2. However, last week the D.C. attorney general issued a legal opinion advising that White must resign before Election Day to avoid jeopardizing his eligibility to serve in Congress.

Though White expressed disagreement with the attorney general’s interpretation, he abandoned efforts to amend the statute or seek judicial relief in the weeks remaining before the election.

His resignation will conclude a decade-long tenure representing the District as an at-large member of the council. The move aims to prevent any legal challenges that could arise should he simultaneously hold his council seat while running for the delegate position.

White’s forthcoming resignation underscores the complex legal landscape surrounding eligibility requirements for D.C.’s congressional delegate, a unique position due to the District’s lack of full voting representation in Congress.