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Voters in D.C. are gearing up to decide their choice for president come Election Day on Nov. 5, but there are also a number of closely watched local issues on the ballot, including seats on the D.C. Council and an initiative that could drastically change the city’s election process.
Here’s what you need to know before you vote:
Dates at a glance
- Mail ballot drop boxes are open now until Nov. 5 at 8 p.m.
- Early voting begins Oct. 28 and ends Nov. 3
- Military and overseas voter ballot requests must be received by Nov. 2
- Election Day: Nov. 5, with vote centers open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Virginia’s 2024 election voter guide
- Maryland’s 2024 election voter guide
- With election nearly here, dozens of ANC seats in DC still have no candidate
- DC Council member Trayon White stays on ballot after pleading not guilty on federal bribery charges
- ACLU-DC wants to work with police to ensure safe, constitutional election protests
How do I register to vote?
The deadline to send in registration applications by mail or online has passed, but it’s not too late to register and cast a general election ballot in D.C.
The District allows same-day registration, meaning voters can register and vote in person at the same time during either the early voting period or on Election Day. To register when you show up to vote, make sure to bring an acceptable proof of residence that shows your name and current D.C. address.
A list of acceptable proof of residence is available online. Examples of acceptable documents include government-issued photo ID, recent utility bills, recent bank statements, recent pay stubs or a current lease or rental agreement.
What to know about mail-in voting
Every registered voter in D.C. automatically receives a mail-in ballot to their home address. Instructions for filling that ballot out and sending it in are available online.
Mail-in ballots can be sent back to the Board of Elections, dropped off at a drop box until 8 p.m. on Election Day or returned to a vote center during early voting or on Election Day. A list of mail ballot drop box locations is available online.
For first-time voters who registered by mail or online, federal and D.C. law requires you to send in a copy of a valid proof of residence along with your mail-in ballot.
What about in-person early voting?
Early voting begins Oct. 28 and ends Nov. 3. During that time, D.C.’s 25 early vote centers will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voters in D.C. can vote at any one of the city’s early vote centers, regardless of where you live in the city.
A full list of D.C.’s early vote centers is available online.
Voting on Election Day
Election Day is Nov. 5, with D.C.’s 75 Election Day vote centers open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Just like with early voting, D.C. residents can cast their ballot at any one of those vote centers. For those who haven’t registered to vote, same-day registration is available on Election Day.
Registered voters do not need to show ID to vote in person on Election Day.
A full list of D.C.’s Election Day vote centers is available online.
What’s on the ballot?
Voters across D.C. will see the presidential contest at the top of the ballot, but there are other contests city voters should be paying attention to that could have a significant impact at the local level.
President
Voters will pick one of the following, or write in a choice:
- Independent ticket: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Nicole Shanahan
- Republican ticket: Donald J. Trump and JD Vance
- Democratic ticket: Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz
DC Council
There are two at-large D.C. Council seats up for grabs, which voters across the city will decide. In Wards 2 and 4, the incumbent council members are running unopposed, while Wards 7 and 8 see a contested field.
In both those races, the winner of the Democratic primary remains the heavy favorite in deep-blue D.C., even though Ward 8 Council member Trayon White was indicted on a federal bribery charge following the June primary, prompting a field of other Democrats to join the race as write-in candidates.
In Ward 7, Democratic Council member Vincent Gray decided not to seek reelection, leaving his seat open to a massive field of hopefuls that was whittled down during the June primary.
At-large
- Independent candidate Christian Henderson (incumbent)
- Democratic candidate Robert White (incumbent)
- Republican candidate Rob Simmons
- D.C. Statehood Green Party candidate Darryl Moch
Ward 2
- Democratic candidate Brooke Pinto (incumbent)
Ward 4
- Democratic candidate Janeese Lewis George (incumbent)
Ward 7
- Democratic candidate Wendell Felder
- Republican candidate Noah Montgomery
Ward 8
- Democratic candidate Trayon White Sr. (incumbent)
- Republican candidate Nate Derenge
DC’s delegate to U.S. House of Representatives
- Democratic candidate Eleanor Holmes Norton (incumbent)
- Independent candidate Michael A. Brown
- Republican candidate Myrtle Patricia Alexander
- D.C. Statehood Green Party candidate Kymone Freeman
Initiative 83
Initiative 83 asks D.C. voters if they want to drastically change the elections process in the District in two different ways. The first would be switching from closed to semi-open primaries, meaning a voter who’s registered as an independent could vote in a party primary of their choosing. Currently, only those registered as either a Democrat or Republican can vote in those respective primaries.
The second change would be the switch to ranked choice voting. Currently, voters in D.C. cast one vote per race for their preferred candidate. Under ranked choice voting, voters can rank up to five candidates by preference. That system ensures the winning candidate receives at least 50% of the vote by eliminating candidates with the fewest number of votes one by one until there is a majority winner.
On Initiative 83, voters will simply be asked to choose from the following:
- Yes, to approve
- No, to reject
D.C. voters will also be choosing a new shadow representative and shadow senator, along with new Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners and Board of Education members.
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