Voting Info

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 

• National Voter Registration Day

Monday, September 28, 2026

• [TENTATIVE] Board begins mailing ballots to registered voters. 

Friday, October 9, 11am – Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at 8pm

• [TENTATIVE] Period during which mail drop boxes are available for use.

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 

• Deadline for registered qualified electors to change party affiliation status [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.07(g)(4); 3 DCMR § 504.5 (no later than 21 days before the election; requests for change of party affiliation status received after the 21st day before an election shall be held and processed after the election.)].
• Deadline for receipt of all voter registration applications (including federal postcard applications (FPCAs), federal write in absentee ballots (FWABs)) and updates except for those submitted in person at the Board or at voter registration agencies [D.C. Official Code §§ 1-1001.07(g)(1)-(3); 3 DCMR § 504.3 (21 days before the election)].
• First day the Board can publish a sample copy of the official ballot in at least one newspaper of general circulation [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.05(a)(6); 3 DCMR § 1201.2 (not more than 21 days before the election)].

Monday, October 19, 2026

• Deadline for receipt of ballot requests from non-UOCAVA voters [3 DCMR § 720.5 (no later than 15 days before the election)].

Monday, October 26, 2026 – Sunday, November 1, 2026

• Period during which qualified electors may register and cast ballots at Early Vote Centers. Early Vote Centers are open every day during this period between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. [D.C. Official Code §§ 1-1001.09(b-1)(1)-(2); 3 DCMR §§ 700.4, 702.2 (for no more than 12 days before the election)].

Saturday, October 31, 2026

• Deadline for UOCAVA voters to request a ballot. [3 DCMR § 720.5 (no later than three days before the election)].

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026 – GENERAL ELECTION DAY

• On Election Day, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., qualified electors may register to vote and cast full ballots in person at Vote Centers. All voters who are in line at 8:00 p.m. may cast a ballot [D.C. Official Code §§ 1-123(d)(2), 1-1001.10(a)(2), (a)(3)(A)-(B), (a)(5), and 1-309.06(a) (1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November of each even-numbered calendar year)]. Deadline (8:00 p.m.) to deposit ballots at Vote Centers, drop boxes or the Board’s office and for the receipt of all electronically transmitted ballots [D.C. Official Code §§ 1- 1001.05(a)(10A)].

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

• Deadline (5:00 p.m.) for write-in candidate to file an Affirmation of Write-In Candidacy or Declaration of Candidacy with the Board to be eligible for nomination to office [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.08(r)(3); 3 DCMR § 602.2 (no later than seven days after the election)]. Last day for voters who cast special ballots to present verification of eligibility to vote in the election [3 DCMR § 700.6 (no later than the seventh day after the election)].
• Date Board provides toll-free telephone service (1-866-DCVOTES (1-866-328-6837)) and website service, www.dcboe.org, where any voter who cast a challenged or special ballot can learn the Board’s preliminary decision whether to count or reject their ballot and the reason for the decision [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.09(e)(2)].

Friday, November 13, 2026

• Deadline for receipt of all mailed ballots (must be postmarked on or before Election Day) [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.05(a)(10A)].

Thursday, November 19, 2026

• Deadline to cure mail ballots.

Friday, November 20, 2026

• [TENTATIVE] Final count of mail ballots and accepted special and challenged ballots.

Monday, November 23, 2026 – Wednesday, November 25, 2026

• [TENTATIVE] Board conducts public manual audit of the voter-verifiable records tabulated [D.C. Official Code § 1001.09a(b), (c); 3 DCMR § 812.2].

Monday, November 30, 2026

• [TENTATIVE] Board to publish on its website and make available for public inspection a report of results of the manual audit [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.09a(j) (prior to certification of election results)].

Wednesday, December 2, 2026

• [TENTATIVE] Certification of election results [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.05(a)(11); 3 DCMR § 813.1].
• On date of certification, Board determines which parties qualify as eligible to hold primary elections in 2028 in the District of Columbia based on outcome of contests for the offices of, Delegate to the United States House of Representatives, Chairman of the Council, Member of the Council, Mayor, and Attorney General [D.C. Official Code § 1- 1001.08(h)(2)].

Wednesday, December 9, 2026

• [TENTATIVE] Last day for a voter in the election to file a petition for review of the results of the election in the D.C. Court of Appeals [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.11(b)(1) (within seven days after the certification)].
• [TENTATIVE] Last day for a candidate in the election to request a recount of the certified votes cast in one or more voting precincts [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.11(a)(1) (within seven days after the certification)].

Monday, February 1, 2027

• Deadline for Board to publish after-action report on the election on website [D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.05(k); 3 DCMR § 817.1 (90 days following the election)].

* This calendar is subject to change.

1.  Use an accepted form of ID

2.  Check your polling location before heading to the polls on November 3rd!

The District of Columbia Board of Elections (DCBOE)

The Voter Protection Hotline (866-OUR-VOTE)

• 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) – English language hotline
• 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) – Spanish language hotline
• 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) – Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu and Tagalog hotline
• 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) – Arabic language hotline
• American Sign Language video call number: 301-818-VOTE (301-818-8683)
• You can learn more about Election Protection and get involved at protectthevote.net >>