District Of Columbia

The deadline to cure (correct) your absentee ballot is November 12, 2024. If there is a signature mismatch or missing signature, you will receive a letter from the DC Board of Elections (BOE), and you can sign the certificate enclosed in the letter and return it to the DCBOE. You can check the status of your ballot using your state’s online tool. If you voted a Special Ballot due to proof of residence or ID, you have until 5pm on November 7, 2024, to present your acceptable proof of residence or acceptable ID to the BOE. Starting the day after Election Day, you can check the Special Ballot Status page or call 1-866-DC VOTES (1-866-328-6837) to find out if the BOE has decided to count or reject your ballot.  

For information on federal campaign contributions, please visit Open Secrets.

For information on state campaign contributions, please visit your state's resource.

Information on local, state and federal candidates and ballot measures may be available here.

Find your mail-in-ballot drop box locations here. 

Early voting information can be found at the DC Board of Elections website.

You may register to vote during early voting (and on Election Day), you must just show proof of residence. Acceptable forms of proof of residence include:

• Copy of a current and valid government-issued photo identification
• Utility bill for water, gas, electricity, cable, internet, telephone, or cellular phone service issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• Savings, checking, credit, or money market account statement from a bank or credit union issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• Paycheck, stub, or earning statement that includes the employer’s name, address, and telephone number and was issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• Government-issued document or check from a federal or District agency, other than the Board of Elections, issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• Current residential lease or rental agreement
• Occupancy statement from a District homeless shelter issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• Tuition or housing bill from a District of Columbia college or university issued for the current academic or housing term

Your next election date can be found here https://www.vote411.org/district-of-columbia.

Contact your local Board of Elections for more information.

To be eligible to vote you must be:

• A U.S. citizen
• A D.C. resident
• At least 18 years old on or before the election (16-year-olds may preregister but will not receive a voter registration card or be eligible to vote until they are at least 17 years old with a birth date that is before the next General election)
• Not been adjudged mentally incompetent by a court of law
• Not claiming the right to vote anywhere outside DC.

Non-US Citizen Resident of the District of Columbia

Starting in 2024, non-citizen residents who meet certain qualifications are eligible to vote in local elections that take place in the District of Columbia. These elections include voting for the positions of Mayor, Attorney General, members of the DC Council, members of the State Board of Education, or Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. Non-citizens are also allowed to vote on measures such as initiative, referendum, recall, or charter amendment that appear on DC ballots. However, it's important to note that non-citizens are not permitted to vote for federal offices.

To register to vote, you must:

• be at least 17 years old and turn 18 before Election Day
• be a DC resident for at least 30 days before the election to vote
• not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court of law
• not claim the right to vote anywhere outside DC

Non-U.S. Citizen Resident of the District of Columbia Voter Registration Application

Incarcerated Voters & Returning Citizens: 

In DC, those with criminal records never lose the right to vote. If you are incarcerated, regardless of the offense, you can vote. You can vote if you are under court supervision or residing at a halfway house after release. 

When registering to vote, residents of the DC Jail can provide either their DC home address or the address of the DC Jail if they have resided there for a minimum of 30 days. Those serving time in a federal facility can use their DC home address for registration. 

Voters without traditional residence: 

Citizens don't need a "permanent home" for voter registration. A citizen can provide an alternative description of their residence, even if they are experiencing homelessness, as long as it enables the authorities to identify and assign a voting precinct. This precinct assignment ensures that the voter receives the appropriate ballot. The mailing address on their registration form can be a PO box, local shelter, advocacy organization, outreach center, or the home of someone who will accept mail for them. 

If you are registering to vote in the District of Columbia for the first time and you submit your application by mail or online, you must either include a copy of one of the following documents with your application or present a copy of the document the first time you vote: 

• A copy of a current and valid government-issued photo identification
• A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck (dated no earlier than 90 days before the date upon which you mail your application or, if you do not submit proof by mail or online, 90 days before the date you vote)
• Any other government-issued document

If you are registering to vote in the District for the first time on election day, you'll be asked to complete a Voter Registration Application, swear or affirm that you are qualified to vote, and show proof of residence by providing one of the following types of documents.

Identification is required only of first-time voters who register by mail and do not provide proof of identification with their application.

Voters can call or text 844-338-8743 at any time to reach VoteRiders Voter ID Helpline

Official results are never available on Election Day. Election officials are working around the clock to count an unprecedented number of ballots, and it’s essential that they take the time to make sure every vote is counted.

Official election results will be uploaded on the D.C. Board of Elections website as they become available. 

You are a Military or Overseas voter if you are in uniformed services, living overseas OR a spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. To get registered and vote, you can utilize Overseas Vote Foundation.

If you have additional questions about elections and voting overseas you can use our state specific elections official directory or contact the Overseas Vote Foundation.

You can make sure we have safe, fair, and efficient elections for all. Become a poll worker today!

To serve as an Election Day Worker, you must:

• Be a resident of DC
• Be at least 16 years old
• Complete at least four hours of training before each election

If you are selected and assigned to a polling place, hours of work are:

• Early Voting: One of two six-hour shirts (8am-2pm OR 1:30pm-7:30pm) on days assigned
• Monday before Election Day (Polling Place Setup): two to three hours
• Election Day: 6am-9pm. Election day is a long day's work so be sure to bring any necessary items (prescriptions, food, water, etc.) to last throughout the day.

Workers receive a one-time payment, which includes training.

To sign up, contact your local board of elections.

The polls will be open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

You can find your polling place by utilizing your state resource.

DC has a closed primary process, where voters need to be registered with a party in order to vote in that parties primary. If you are not registered with a party, you may still vote on any ballot measures if they appear on the primary ballots.

If you have any questions about your state’s primary election, please contact your local election officials.

You may vote a provisional ballot if you meet specific conditions. Provisional ballots are counted 10 days after the election.

You will be required to cast a provisional ballot if:

• You are voting outside your assigned precinct
• You register to vote at the polling place on Election Day but you did not provide acceptable proof of residence
• You change your address at the polling place on Election Day but you did not provide acceptable proof of residence
• You are marked as an early voter in the pollbook
• You are marked as an absentee voter in the pollbook
• You are marked as ID required in the pollbook. This is for voters who did not provide ID when registering to vote.
• You are marked as Administrative Challenge in the pollbook. This happens when the Board of Elections mails something to your address on record and that mailing is returned to the Board within 30 days of the election.
• You claim a different party affiliation status (Primary Elections only)
• Your right to vote was challenged by another voter or poll watcher and approved by the Precinct Captain
• Voting hours were extended by a court or the Board

If you need to provide identification or other information to have your ballot counted, you have two days to provide it to the Board. Information about how to find out if your vote will be counted and how to appeal the Board's decision is provided to all provisional ballot voters at the polls.

Accessible Remote Ballot (ARB) Marking System

The Accessible Remote Ballot (ARB) Marking System is an electronic ballot marking system that allows voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently. ARB is HAVA and ADA compliant and compatible with various assistive devices, including all primary screen readers, tactile switches, closed captioning, and audio-enabled systems. 

How to request and access the ARB Marking System:

1. Complete the ARB Marking System Request Form and email it to the ADA Coordinator at ogc@dcboe.org.

2. The ADA Coordinator will process your ARB request and email you a link to log into the ARB online portal.

3. Click the link, log into the secure online portal with your name and birth date, and then complete the ballot. If needed, use your assistive device/technology to read and mark your ballot with your choices.

4. Follow all included instructions, print your voted ballot, and return it to the Board by mail or at any Mail Ballot Drop Box or Vote Center location. PLEASE NOTE: Voted ballots cannot be returned via email.​

Curbside Voting

To vote curbside, a poll worker must be told that you need curbside assistance. When a poll worker is notified that you wish to vote curbside, one of the election officials will bring a ballot to you and provide assistance as needed. It is suggested that you call ahead to let the election officials at the polling site know that you wish to vote curbside. Call 202-727-2525 to obtain the polling place telephone number where you will be voting. Persons with a TDD or TTY device may call 202-639-8916.

Transfer your Ballot 

You may also request to transfer your ballot to another polling location if you believe your assigned polling place is not accessible for your disability. You must contact the SCBOE office at least 7 days before the election to make this transfer.

For more information, you can utilize the American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD) resource.

Election Day registration is available.

If you want to register to vote before Election Day, you can do so through mail or online. All voter registration applications and updates submitted online and by mail must be received by the Board no later than the 21st day before the election in which you wish to vote. To register to vote online, fill out the form and submit it before the deadline.

You can register to vote during early voting and on Election Day; you just need to provide proof of residence that shows your name and current District of Columbia address. Acceptable forms of proof of residence include:

• A copy of a current and valid government-issued photo identification
• A utility bill for water, gas, electricity, cable, internet, telephone, or cellular phone service issued no earlier than 90 days before the election.
• A savings, checking, credit, or money market account statement from a bank or credit union issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• A paycheck, stub, or earning statement that includes the employer’s name, address, and telephone number and was issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• A government-issued document or check from a federal or District agency other than the Board of Elections, issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• A current residential lease or rental agreement
• An occupancy statement from a District homeless shelter issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
• A tuition or housing bill from a District of Columbia college or university issued for the current academic or housing term

As of July 2020, incarcerated individuals, people under court supervision and/or residing at a halfway house can register and vote! If you are a resident at a DC jail, you can use your DC home address or the address of the DC jail on the registration form if you have been at the DC jail for at least 30 days. If you are in a federal facility you can use your DC home address on the form. You can find additional information about incarcerated voting at the DC Board of Elections Website.

DC law allows you to request up to two hours of paid leave from your scheduled working shift to vote:

• in an election held in the DC if you are eligible to vote in DC
• or in an election held in the jurisdiction in which you are eligible to vote

Your employer may require you to request this time off reasonably in advance and specify the time that you take it, including potentially during early voting. 

To verify your voter registration status

The voting systems used in D.C. are optical scan and DRE.

Optical Scan: With this system, you will receive a card or sheet of paper, which you take over to a private table or booth. The card has the names of the various candidates and ballot measures printed on it. With a pen or pencil you fill in a little box or circle or the space between two arrows. When you are finished filling out all the cards, you may bring the cards over to a ballot box, where poll workers will show you how to put the cards in the box. Or in some places, you may feed the completed cards or papers into a computer device that checks your card or paper right there at the polling place to make sure you have voted the way you want to and counts the votes.

Direct Recording Electronic (DRE): This is the newest kind of system in use in the U.S. All the information about who and what you are voting for is on an electronic screen like a TV or computer screen.

There are many variations of DREs because lots of companies are inventing new ones, and many cities, counties and states are trying them out. Usually, after you have signed in, the poll workers will give you a card that you slide into a device to start your voting session.

Some of these devices will show all of the candidates and ballot choices on one big screen. Often, with these big screen devices you push a button next to the name of the candidate you want to vote for (or yes or no on a ballot measure). On other DREs, the screen is set up to show pages. On each screen or page, there will probably be one thing to vote on. For example, on one screen or page, you might vote for president. Then you might move to the next page to vote for senator. Often these small-screen devices have a touch screen, where you touch the screen next to the name of the person you want to vote for. Other devices have a key pad. Some have a keyboard, so you can write in the name of someone you want to vote for.

You let the system know you are finished voting by pushing a button, touching the screen or entering something on a keypad.

You can learn more about voting systems by checking out the Elections Assistance Commission's (EAC) resource or using Verified Voting.