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DC · sourced voting rules

How elections work
in District of Columbia

Rules that shape registration and voting, the officials responsible for administering them, and the gaps that still require an election-specific source.

Official election website ↗Who runs the election →
State policy snapshot · not legal advice

Registration, primary, and voting methods

These values preserve the wording in the March 2026 EAC/NCSL profile. Asterisks and qualifications are meaningful; confirm the current election notice before acting.

Primary systemClosed
Registration deadline policy21 days before Election Day
Same-day registrationPermitted
Early in-person votingNo more than 12 days before Election Day
No-excuse absentee votingPermitted; ballots are mailed to all registered voters
Mail-ballot return policyMust be received within 7 days of Election Day*
RANKED-CHOICE VOTING

Not established by this source

The current EAC/NCSL comparison profile does not provide a complete statewide RCV rule field. Election.org does not infer one.

WRITE-IN RULES

Not established by this source

Eligibility, filing, and counting rules can be election-specific. Use the official state election website.

RUNOFF OR WIN THRESHOLD

Read the election notice

The primary-system field above is published. A complete contest-by-contest threshold rule is not.

OFFICIAL BALLOT ORDER

Address and election required

A statewide rules profile cannot establish a voter's complete local specimen ballot.

Source: U.S. Election Assistance Commission / NCSL State Election Profile for District of Columbia ↗ · published March 2026 · verified 2026-08-24. Confirm current election details ↗