District of Columbia | Voting Guide
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Mail-in and Online Registration Deadline: Received by Board of Elections by 21 days before Election Day
Eligible voters can also register to vote and cast a ballot at the same time during the early voting period and on Election Day
2020
Primary Election: June 2
General Election Registration Deadline: October 13
General Election: November 3
Official Election Websites
More election information at www.dcboee.org
Voter Registration Form available at https://www.dcboe.org/dcboe/media/PDFFiles/Voter-Registration-Form-FINAL_2.pdf
Register at School or Home
Students have a choice about where to register to vote.
Students attending college may register at their campus address or choose to remain registered or register at their permanent or home address.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
DC’s voter registration form asks for your DC driver’s license or ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.
All applicants must provide proof of DC residence by including a copy of a document showing their name and DC address. Students may present a tuition or housing bill from a District of Columbia college or university issued for the current academic or housing term.
A list of acceptable proof of residence documents is available at: https://www.vote4dc.com/Home/IDRequirements
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
You don’t have to show ID to vote in DC. If you register to vote during the early voting period or on Election Day, you will have to show proof of residence that includes your name and address.
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Look up your voting site and hours at: https://dcboe.org/Voters/Register-To-Vote/Check-Voter-Registration-Status
How Can I Vote?
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all registered DC voters will be sent an absentee ballot to their registered address by mail.
A list of drop-off sites for completed absentee ballots can be found at https://dcboe.org/Voters/Where-to-Vote/Mail-Ballot-Drop-Sites
By Mail
DC voters may vote by mail for any reason
You can request an absentee ballot online through the DC Board of Elections at https://www.vote4dc.com/ApplyInstructions/Absentee or by printing and mailing the absentee ballot request form
Applications for absentee ballots must be received by mail or electronically no later than the seventh day before Election Day
Completed absentee ballots must be postmarked or otherwise demonstrated to have been sent on or before Election Day and must be received no later than the tenth day after Election Day
For more information about voting by mail, visit: https://dcboe.org/Voters/Absentee-Voting/Request-an-Absentee-Ballot
You can track your absentee ballot at https://www.dcboe.org/Voters/Absentee-Voting/Track-Absentee-Ballot
In Person
Eligible DC voters can register and cast a ballot during the early voting period. Voters can cast their ballot at any early voting location.
2020 Early Voting Periods:
Primary Election: Friday, May 22 – Friday May 29
General Election: Friday, October 23 – Friday, October 30
Early voting centers are open every day during this period from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
General Election Early Voting Sites can be found at https://earlyvoting.dcboe.org/VoteCenterPresidentialGeneralElectionList.pdf
Election Day
Voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by closing time then you will be allowed to vote.
Common Questions/Concerns
Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:
Federal Financial Aid
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA
Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes
Tuition Status
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community
Will registering to vote in Washington D.C. affect my driver’s license or car registration?
A full-time student who is a resident of the District of Columbia is not required to obtain a D.C. license. For more information, visit the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles website at https://dmv.dc.gov/service/driver-licenses.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Washington, DC legal professional.
Last updated September 2020
