District of Columbia State Voting Requirements & Information

Statewide Voter Information

 

U.S. Domestic Voters

Registration

You can register to vote or update your registration information:

  • online
  • by mail
  • in person at your local election office
  • at the polls on Election Day

Election Day Voting

Polling places are open from 7am until 8pm on Election Day.

{Find my polling place](https://www.vote4dc.com/SearchElection/SearchByAddress)

Early Voting

No earlier than ten days prior to an election qualified electors may register to vote and cast full ballots at any ward-based early voting center. Early voting centers are open every day during this period between the hours of 830am. and 7pm.

Absentee Voting

Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.

You are eligible to vote in District of Columbia if you:

  • Are at least 18 years old by Election Day
  • Are a resident of District of Columbia
  • Are a U.S citizen

You are NOT eligible to vote in District of Columbia if:

  • You are on parole for a felony conviction or convicted of a felony
  • You are in prison or detention or jail or penal institution
  • You are registered to vote in another state
  • You have been legally declared "mentally incompetent" by a court

You may preregister to vote in District of Columbia

  • at the age of 17
  • at the age 16

Voter Registration

To register to vote in District of Columbia you should provide one of the following:

  • Your District of Columbia Driver's License or State/non-driver ID Number
  • The Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number

If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you will need to provide a copy of a valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:

  • Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address
  • Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address
  • Current and Valid Photo ID

You can alternatively show one of these documents when you vote to complete your registration.

Voting In-Person

If you registered to vote in District of Columbia, you may be required to present valid ID if you are voting for the first time or your registration is incomplete. You can use any ID from this list:

  • University Tuition Bill
  • Government Issued Document that shows your Current Name and Address
  • Government Check
  • Valid District of Columbia Non-driver's ID
  • Valid District of Columbia Driver's License
  • Bank Statement
  • Utility Bill
  • University Housing Bill
  • Paycheck that shows your Current Name and Address

Statements, checks and bills should be dated no earlier than 90 days before Election Day.

Domestic Voter

 In-Person Mail Fax Email Online

Voter Registration

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Absentee Ballot Request

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Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

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Blank Ballot To Voter

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Overseas & Military Voters

Overseas Voters

U.S. citizens living abroad have the right to vote as absentee voters, provided they are eligible to vote in their state. If you are living outside of the U.S. permanently, indefinitely, or temporarily, your voting rights stay with you, even if you never voted when you lived in the U.S. To vote from overseas:

  • Complete and send an overseas voter registration/ballot request form to your election office in the U.S. This is one specific form that will register you as an overseas voter and request your absentee ballot – simultaneously.

Many states allow children who were born overseas, but never lived in the U.S., to use their U.S. parents’ last residence address to register.

Military Voters

Service members and their eligible family members living outside their voting jurisdiction (within or outside the U.S.) are able to vote as absentee voters.

  • If you are a service member, or an eligible family member, there is a single form to file for both voter registration and ballot request. It is often called the “Federal Post Card Application” or the FPCA form. This form must be re-filed with your election office each time you change location.

To vote as a service member or eligible family member:

  • Complete and send a voter registration/ballot request form “FPCA” to your election office in the U.S. It is the same form in all states.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form ("FPCA"). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

  • Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
  • Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
  • U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

  • Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
  • Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
  • U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID

Overseas Voter

 In-Person Mail Fax Email Online

Voter Registration

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Absentee Ballot Request

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Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

 - -

Blank Ballot To Voter

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All faxed voter registration/ballot request forms must be followed by the original, signed form in the mail - otherwise the application will not be valid. Voted ballots returned by citizen voters by fax or email must include a statement that you relinquish your right to a secret ballot. The District of Columbia state website also offers blank ballots to be filled in or printed blank. See: http://www.dcboee.org/home.asp

Military Voter

 In-Person Mail Fax Email Online

Voter Registration

 - -

Absentee Ballot Request

 - -

Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

 - -

Blank Ballot To Voter

 - -
All faxed voter registration/ballot request forms must be followed by the original, signed form in the mail - otherwise the application will not be valid. Voted ballots returned by military voters by fax or email must include a statement that you relinquish your right to a secret ballot. The District of Columbia maintains a permanent list of overseas absentee voters.

 

Register to Vote   Request Absentee Ballot