Washington, DC

Open your Washington, DC ballot

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Local guides in Washington, DC

• DC Ward 1
• DC Ward 2
• DC Ward 3
• DC Ward 4
• DC Ward 5
• DC Ward 6
• DC Ward 7
• DC Ward 8

Key dates

• Last day to register online: Tue, Oct 13The regular deadline was Tuesday, October 13, 2026 (21 days before the election) for online and DMV registrations and updates. That date has passed. Applications received after it are held until after the election. You can still register in person and vote the same day (see below).
• Last day to register by mail: Tue, Oct 13Paper applications had to be received by DCBOE by Tuesday, October 13, 2026 (not postmarked). That date has passed.
• Mail ballot request and replacement datesYou don't have to request a ballot; everyone gets one. The DCBOE calendar lists Monday, October 19, 2026 as the deadline for receipt of ballot requests from non-military voters (for example, to have one sent to a different address). After that, get a replacement in person or vote in person. For a lost or spoiled ballot, DCBOE says to call 1-866-DCVOTES immediately.
• In-person voting: Mon, Oct 26 to Sun, Nov 1Monday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1, 2026, every day including the weekend, 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM. 25 Early Vote Centers, two to four per ward (for example Columbia Heights Community Center, MLK Library, Cleveland Park Library, Turkey Thicket, Sherwood Rec, Deanwood Rec; note THEARC is an Election Day-only Vote Center, not an early site). Any DC voter can use any center. All 25 also operate on Election Day. You can register on the spot with proof of residence. Full list at the DCBOE PDF below or earlyvoting.dcboe.org.
• Last day to register in person: Tue, Nov 3Same-day registration. You can register and vote at any Early Vote Center from Monday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1 (8:30 AM to 7:00 PM), or at any Vote Center on Election Day, November 3, from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Bring proof that you live in DC.
• Mail ballot deadline: Tue, Nov 38:00 PM ET for drop boxes, Vote Centers and the DCBOE office; mailed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 and received by Friday, November 13
  • Any of 55 mail ballot drop boxes across all eight wards (open since Friday, October 9 at 11:00 AM; they lock at 8:00 PM on November 3)
  • Mail (USPS), postage prepaid, postmarked by November 3; must arrive by November 13
  • Any of the 25 Early Vote Centers, October 26 to November 1, 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM
  • Any Vote Center on Election Day, November 3, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
  • DCBOE headquarters, 1015 Half Street SE (also has a drop box)
• Election Day: Tue, Nov 3Polls close at 8 PM. DCBOE: 'All voters who are in line at 8:00 p.m. may cast a ballot.' Drop boxes also lock at 8:00 PM, and mailed ballots must be postmarked that day.

How voting works in Washington, DC

Every registered DC voter is mailed a ballot automatically. Mail it back (postage is prepaid), put it in a drop box, or skip it and vote in person at any Vote Center in the District. Most contests are ranked-choice this year: you rank candidates instead of picking one.

Where to vote

• Find a vote center
• Find your Election Day polling place
• Find a ballot drop box
• Track your mail ballot
• Check your registration

What to bring

ID needed only for some first-time voters.

• Most registered voters: no ID. You state your name and address. (ACLU of DC: 'No specific ID is required to vote in person.')
• First-time voters who registered by mail or online and couldn't be matched to a DC DMV or Social Security record: a current government-issued photo ID, or a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document with your name and current DC address, dated within 90 days
• Same-day registrants: one proof of DC residence from the list in same_day_notes (photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, government document, lease, shelter letter, or college housing or tuition bill)

No ID? If you're flagged as a first-time voter needing ID and don't have it, you vote a special (provisional) ballot and must bring the document to DCBOE so it counts. Go by 5:00 PM on Thursday, November 5: DCBOE's special ballot FAQ says you have 'two days following the election to show your ID,' while the 2026 calendar lists Tuesday, November 10. Most DC voters are never asked for ID. Sources: https://dcboe.org/Voters/Register-To-Vote/Register-to-Vote and https://www.acludc.org/how-to-vote-in-the-november-3-2026-d-c-general-election/