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D.C.’s June 4 primary will see voters cast not just their choice for president, but for several seats on the D.C. Council and for the District’s representatives in Congress.
Here’s what you need to know:
Dates at a glance
- Voter registration deadline: May 14
- Absentee ballot request deadline: May 20
- In person early voting: May 26 — June 2, excluding Memorial Day, early voting centers open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Primary Election: June 4, polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
What do I need to know about registering to vote?
You can check your registration status and register or update your registration online.
You can also register by mail, email or fax, or in person at the D.C. Board of Elections office or any voter registration agency.
Same-day voter registration is also available during in person early voting and on Election Day. Same-day registration requires proof of residence that shows your name and current D.C. address.
All voters must be registered with either the Democrat, Republican or D.C. Statehood Green party to vote in the primary.
The deadline to register to vote is May 14.
What about mail-in voting?
D.C. will mail all eligible voters a mail-in ballot ahead of the primary. To ensure you get your mail-in ballot at the correct address, the board of elections said it’s critical to check, and, if necessary, update your voter registration.
While all registered voters will be a mailed a ballot, those who expect to be away from their D.C. home during the election must request an absentee ballot. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is May 20.
Mailed ballots must be postmarked or otherwise proven sent on or before Election Day, and must arrive no later than the 10th day after Election Day.
Instructions for filling out and returning your mail-in ballot will be included with the ballot and are available online.
What to know about early voting
Early in person voting will be open from May 26 to June 2, excluding Memorial Day, between 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
A list of D.C.’s early vote centers is available online.
What to know about voting on primary day
Even on primary day, voters can cast their ballot at any vote center, regardless of where they live in the city.
A list of primary day voting locations is available online.
Polls on Election Day will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Registered voters do not need to show ID to vote in person on Election Day.
What’s on the ballot?
To comply with party rules, D.C. Republicans already held their presidential primary, with Nikki Haley, who’s since dropped out of the race, picking up her first primary victory. However, Republicans will still make their choices for D.C. Council and Congress.
Democrats will pick their nominees for president, on top of making selections for council and Congress.
President
Incumbent President Joe Biden is running for reelection and has already clinched the 2024 Democratic nomination, since he faced no serious challenger, but there will still be a couple other names to choose from on the ballot.
Democratic candidates:
- Joe Biden
- Marianne Williamson
- Armando Perez-Serrato
DC Council
There are contested races for at-large, Ward 4, Ward 7 and Ward 8 Council seats. In Ward 2, Council member Brooke Pinto is running unopposed for reelection.
In Ward 7, 10 Democratic candidates are vying to fill the seat of Council member Vincent Gray, who announced in December he would not be running for reelection after suffering a stroke earlier in his current term.
There’s also a contested race for at-large D.C. Council member between two former mayoral candidates.
Read a more detailed background on each candidate here.
At-large
Democratic candidates:
- Robert White
- Rodney Red Grant
Statehood Green Party candidates:
- Darryl Moch
Ward 2
Democratic candidates:
- Brooke Pinto
Ward 4
Democratic candidates:
- Janeese Lewis George
- Lisa Gore
- Paul Johnson
Ward 7
Democratic candidates:
- Wendell Felder
- Denise Reed
- Ebony Payne
- Villareal VJ Johnson II
- Nate Fleming
- Kelvin Brown
- Roscoe Grant Jr.
- Ebbon A. Allen
- Veda Rasheed
- Eboni-Rose Thompson
Ward 8
Democratic candidates:
- Trayon White Sr.
- Rahman Branch
- Salim Adofo
Republican candidates:
- Nate Derenge
Delegate to the House of Representatives
Eleanor Holmes Norton has represented the District as its Delegate to the House since 1991, and is once again running for reelection, facing challengers from the Democratic, Republican and Statehood Green parties.
Democratic candidates:
- Kelly “Mikel” Williams
- Eleanor Holmes Norton
Republican candidates:
- Myrtle Patricia Alexander
Statehood Green Party candidates:
- Kymone Freeman
U.S. Senator
While D.C. has no voting representation in the House or Senate, the city does elect a “shadow” senator and representative, which work to further the cause of D.C. statehood.
Democratic candidates:
- Ankit Jain
- Eugene D. Kinlow
U.S. Representative
Democratic candidates
- Oye Owolewa
- Linda L. Gray
Republican candidates:
- Ciprian Ivanof
Committee members
D.C. Republicans will also choose who they want to represent them on the Republican National Committee and D.C. Republican Committee. The only contested race on that front is the one for national committeeman, with José Cunningham and Isaac D. Smith vying for the position.
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