Election administration in Washington, D.C.

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Election administration encompasses voting policies and methods of enforcing them. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each election jurisdiction's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.

THE BASICS
  • D.C. permits early voting and no-excuse absentee/mail-in voting.
  • In D.C., polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • D.C. does not require identification to vote.
  • D.C. has tools for verifying voter registration and checking the status of absentee and provisional (special) ballots.


    • Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in D.C.:

    Poll times

    See also: State poll opening and closing times

    Polls in D.C. are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.[2]

    Voter registration

    To register in D.C., an individual must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of D.C. for at least 30 days before the election, and not claim residence in any other state or territory. Pre-registration is available starting 16 years old, but all voters must be 18 by Election Day in order to vote.

    Voters may register online or by mailing, emailing, or faxing in a voter registration application. Voters may also register in person at a voter registration agency. The deadline to register to vote is 21 days before the election, but in-person registration is also available during the early voting period and on Election Day with proof of residency.[3]

    All first-time registrants must provide proof of residency in order to register to vote. Click here for a list of accepted documents.

    Automatic registration

    D.C. practices automatic voter registration. [4]

    Online registration

    See also: Online voter registration

    Washington, D.C. has implemented an online voter registration system. Click here to register to vote online. Online registration forms must be submitted at least 21 days before the election.[3]

    Same-day registration

    D.C. permits same-day voter registration. Click here for more details.

    Residency requirements

    Registrants in D.C. must be residents for at least 30 days prior to the election they intend to vote in.[3]

    Verification of citizenship

    See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

    D.C. does not require verification of U.S. citizenship upon registering to vote. D.C. allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections and maintains a separate voter registration application for noncitizens. For more information, see here.

    All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[5] As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

    Verifying your registration

    Individuals can use this website to check and/or update the status of their registration.


    Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy

    Early voting

    See also: Early voting

    D.C. permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

    Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

    As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.


    Absentee/mail-in voting

    See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

    As of September 2024, the District of Columbia used all-mail voting.[6]

    According to the D.C. Board of Elections, voters did not need to request a ballot unless they expected to be away from their D.C. residence during the election.[6]

    Requests for absentee/mail-in ballots must be received no later than the fifteenth day before the election. Ballots are delivered by mail. Completed absentee/mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the seventh day after the election.[6]

    Returning absentee/mail-in ballots

    See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state

    Completed absentee/mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the 10th day after the election.[6]

    As of November 2024, 20 states allowed anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allowed anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allowed only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Eight states and D.C. did not specify who may return ballots.

    Signature requirements and cure provisions

    D.C. does not have a cure provision, or a law providing for a process where voters can correct certain issues with their absentee/mail-in ballot. See Regulation 3-720.[7]

    As of November 2024, 33 states had laws that included cure provisions, while 17 states did not. One state, Pennsylvania, allowed counties to establish a cure process.

    Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?

    The D.C. Board of Elections provides a tool voters can use to track the status of their absentee/mail-in ballot. Click here to track your absentee/mail-in ballot.

    Voter identification requirements

    See also: Voter ID in Washington, D.C.
    See also: Voter identification laws by state

    Washington, D.C. does not require identification from most voters. The D.C. Board of Elections requires voters who submitted their registration applications online or by mail to present one of the following documents the first time they vote.

    This list was current as of September 2024. Click here to ensure you have the most current information.

    “

    Forms of identification include:

    • 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[8]
    		 ”

    Background

    As of November 2024, 35 states required voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 23 required voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accepted other forms of identification. The remaining 15 states did not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.

    Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.

    Provisional ballot rules

    The District of Columbia Board of Elections states that voters may be instructed to cast special ballots (known as provisional ballots in other locations), or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances. Under each circumstance, the board provides additional details, including steps that need to be taken before the ballot can be counted.[9]

    “ A voter may need to vote a Special Ballot if they:
    • Return to an Early Vote Center or Election Day Vote Center after previously checking in to vote at an Early Vote Center or Election Day Vote Center
    • Previously submitted an application for an Absentee Ballot
    • Have already returned a voted Mail-In Ballot
    • Are required to show identification or proof of residence to complete their voter registration, but fail to provide it
    • During a Primary Election, claim a different party affiliation status than that which is reflected on their voter registration
    • During a General Election, claim a different ANC/SMD than that which is reflected on their voter registration
    • Have had a challenge to their eligibility to vote upheld by the Vote Center Coordinator or a Board hearing examiner
    • Are voting during hours extended by either a Board or court order[8]
    		 ”

    Was your provisional ballot counted?

    According to the D.C. Board of Elections, "All Special Ballots that have been determined to be valid are counted even if they do not change the outcome of the election. The day after Election Day, you may visit the Special Ballot Status page of our website, or call 1-866-DC VOTES (1-866-328-6837), to learn of the Board’s preliminary determination to either count or reject your Special Ballot.

    Local election officials

    U.S. Vote Foundation Logo.jpeg

    Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

    Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

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    State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.

    Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.

    Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:

    • Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
    • We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
    • And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan

    State of Election Administration Legislation Reports

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    Ballotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state. These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.

    Below are links to the most recent editions. Click here to see all past reports, and be on the lookout for more throughout the year!


    The Ballot Bulletin

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    The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

    Recent issues

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    Primary election type

    Washington, D.C. holds closed primary elections, meaning only voters registered as members of a party may vote in that party's primary elections. Registered voters must change party affiliation at least 21 days prior to an election in order to vote in the primary of a party different from the one they were registered with. Those registering to vote at a polling location on the same day they are voting may select their party affiliation at that time.[10]

    Time off work for voting

    Ballotpedia did not find a law specifying whether voters must be given time off from work to vote in the District of Columbia. If you know of a relevant policy in D.C., please email us.

    As of September 2024, 28 states required employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies varied as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.

    Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

    See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

    In Washington, D.C., people convicted of a felony and currently incarcerated retain their right to vote.[11]

    Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[12]


    Voter list maintenance

    All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).[13] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.[14]

    When names can be removed from the voter list

    The DCBOE may cancel a voter's registration under the following circumstances:[4]

    • Notification of the registrant's death
    • Notification that the registrant has registered in another jurisdiction
    • If the voter "otherwise no longer meets the qualifications as duly registered voters"
    • If the registrant does not respond to an address confirmation notice and does not vote within two federal general election cycles

    Inactive voter list rules

    The DCBOE sends address confirmation notices by March 31 in each odd-numbered year to voters who did not vote or file a change of address in the preceding general election. If a voter does not respond to the confirmation notice or it is returned as undeliverable, a voter is placed on the inactive voter list. Registrants are removed from the voter list if they do neither within two federal general election cycles.[4]

    The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

    See also: Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

    According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."[15]

    By 2022, 33 states and the District of Columbia had joined ERIC. As of May 2024, 24 states and the District of Columbia were members in the ERIC program.[16]

    As of April 2023, the District of Columbia and 26 states participated in ERIC.

    Post-election auditing

    D.C. law requires post-election audits. The Board of Elections audits at least 5 percent of precincts and 5 percent of records tabulated centrally, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). At least two ward-wide races and one district-wide race is audited. The date of the audit must be announced within three business days of when tabulation is complete. If an error rate greater than 0.25 percent or 20 percent of the margin of victory (whichever is less) is found and not attributable to marking errors, the board conducts a second count. "If the 2nd count confirms the discrepancy, another precinct in each ward where the contest appeared and an additional 5% of centrally tabulated ballots are audited. If the discrepancy is still there, all ballots with that contest are recounted," according to NCSL.

    Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.[17][18]

    Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.

    As of October 2024, 49 states and the District of Columbia had some form of post-election audit by law. Of these, 35 states and the District of Columbia required traditional post-election audits, while six states required risk-limiting post-election audits by law. Eight states used some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.[19][20]


    Election administration agencies

    Election agencies

    Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
    See also: State election agencies

    Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in D.C. can contact the following local and federal agencies.

    District of Columbia Board of Elections

    1015 Half Street SE, Suite 750
    Washington, DC 20003
    Phone: 202-727-2525
    Toll free: 1-866-DC-VOTES
    Fax: 202-347-2648
    Email: director@dcboe.org
    Website: https://www.dcboe.org

    U.S. Election Assistance Commission

    633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
    Washington, DC 20001
    Phone: 301-563-3919
    Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
    Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
    Website: https://www.eac.gov


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    See also

    Elections in District of Columbia


    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
    2. ↑ D.C. Board of Elections, "Election Day Vote Centers," accessed May 5, 2023
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 District of Columbia Board of Elections, "Register/Update Voter Registration," accessed May 5, 2023
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 D.C. Law Library, "Code of the District of Columbia § 1–1001.07. Voter," accessed September 25, 2024
    5. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 DC Board of Elections, "Mail Ballot Request," accessed September 25, 2024
    7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named req
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    9. ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "Voting by Special Ballot," accessed May 5, 2023
    10. ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "Register/Update Voter Registration," accessed September 3, 2024
    11. ↑ Council of the District of Columbia, "D.C. Law 23-277. Restore the Vote Amendment Act of 2020.," accessed September 3, 2024
    12. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
    13. ↑ As of May 2024, the Justice Department notes, "Six States (Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) are exempt from the NVRA because, on and after August 1, 1994, they either had no voter-registration requirements or had election-day voter registration at polling places with respect to elections for federal office."
    14. ↑ The United States Department of Justice, "The National Voter Registration Act of 1993," accessed May 29, 2024
    15. ↑ ERIC, "FAQ," accessed May 29, 2024
    16. ↑ ERIC, "Who We Are," accessed May 29, 2024
    17. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 23, 2024
    18. ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed August 22, 2024
    19. ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
    20. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed October 4, 2024
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