• 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

You must have resided in D.C. for at least 30 days as of Election Day to be eligible to vote in D.C.

• More election information at: www.dcboee.org

• Online Voter Registration Form available at: https://forms.dc.gov/f/DC_Voter_Registration_Form

• Mail-In Voter Registration Form available at: https://www.dcboe.org/Voters/Register-To-Vote/Register-To-Vote

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. If you are registered in one location, you cannot register in another location just because you want to participate in an election in the second location. Generally, voter registrstion is based on where you identify as your current residence.

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 current DC address. 

Acceptable IDs include:

• Valid District of Columbia DMV-issued ID

• Bank statement, utility statement, government check or paycheck issued within 90 days of the election

• Other government document that shows the name and address of the voter

• Students may present a lease or a tuition or housing bill from a District of Columbia college or univeristy, issued for the current academic or housing term

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 current address.

Make a plan. Look up your voting site and hours at: https://dcboe.org/Voters/Register-To-Vote/Check-Voter-Registration-Status

By Mail

• DC voters may vote by mail for any reason

• Absentee ballot request form is available at: https://dcboe.go/Voters/Absentee-Voting/Request-an-Absentee-Ballot

• Applications for absentee ballots must be received by mail or electronically no later than the 15th 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 10th day after Election Day

• You can track your absentee ballot at: https://www.dcboe.org/Voters/Absentee-Voting/Track-Absentee-Ballot

• Voters with disabilities may cast an accessible remote ballot online. For more information and to apply for an accessible remote ballot, visit: https://dcboe.gov/About-Us/Accessible-Voting/The-Accessible-Remore-Ballot-(ARB)-Marking-System.

Early In Person

• Eligible DC voters can register and cast a ballot during the early voting period. For early voting dates and locations, visit: https://dcboe.gov/Voters/Where-to-Vote/Find-Out-Where-to-Vote

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 have the right to vote.

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 July 2021