Register To Vote

Non-US Citizen Resident of the District of Columbia

Overview:

Starting in 2024, qualified non-citizen District of Columbia residents may vote in local elections, per the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022.

Specifically, under District of Columbia law, non-citizen residents may vote in District of Columbia elections held for the offices of Mayor, Attorney General, member(s) of the DC Council, member(s) of the State Board of Education, or Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner(s), or to vote on initiative, referendum, recall, or charter amendment measures that appear on District of Columbia ballots. Non-citizens cannot vote for federal offices.

Voter eligibility requirements:

To register to vote, you must:

  • Be at least 17 years of age and be 18 years of age on or before the next General Election;
  • Maintain residency in the District of Columbia for at least 30 days prior to the election in which you intend to vote;
  • Not claim voting residence or the right to vote in any state, territory, or country;
  • Have not been found by a court to legally incompetent to vote.

You may register to vote or update your registration information in three ways:

ONLINE Here

BY MAIL, E-MAIL, or FAX, downloading the Voter Registration Application and following these steps:

(Available  also in amharic.pngአማርኛ  chinese.png中文  french.pngFrançais  korean.png한국어  spanish.pngEspañol  vietnamese.pngTiếng Việt ) 

  • STEP 2 Complete fields 1 to 13.
  • STEP 3 Sign the form.
  • STEP 4 Submit the form by mail (postage prepaid), fax, or just take a picture with your cell phone and send it by email.
    • By mail or in person at D.C. Board of Elections, 1015 Half Street, SE, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20003
    • By email (scanned as an attachment) at [email protected]
    • By fax at (202) 347-2648 

IN-PERSON, visiting our office or any voter registration agency, or you may register and vote at the same time during Early Voting and Election Day (Same Day Registration):
If the deadlines for the receipt of voter registration applications and updates submitted online, by mail, or in person at the Board of Elections or another voter registration agency have passed, you can still register during early voting or on Election Day. To register when you vote, you must provide proof of residence that shows your name and current District of Columbia address. Acceptable forms of proof of residence include:

  • A copy of a current and valid government-issued photo identification
  • A utility bill for water, gas, electricity, cable, internet, telephone, or cellular phone service issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
  • A savings, checking, credit, or money market account statement from a bank or credit union issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
  • A paycheck, stub, or earning statement that includes the employer’s name, address, and telephone number and was issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
  • A government-issued document or check from a federal or District agency, other than the Board of Elections, issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
  • A current residential lease or rental agreement
  • An occupancy statement from a District homeless shelter issued no earlier than 90 days before the election
  • A tuition or housing bill from a District of Columbia college or university issued for the current academic or housing term

Important Voter Registration Information

Party Affiliation

To vote in a primary election in the District of Columbia, you must be registered to vote with one of the parties that is eligible to conduct a primary election (Democratic, Republican, or D.C. Statehood Green). You must be registered with one of these parties on or before the 21st day before the primary election, unless you are registering for the first time when you vote. In that case, you may register with a party when you vote.

Proof of Residence

If you are registering to vote in the District of Columbia for the first time and submit a voter registration application by mail or electronically, you may be required to provide identification that shows your name and current address the first time you vote in an election in the District of Columbia. Forms of identification include: 
  • A copy of a current and valid government-issued photo identification
  • A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck (dated no earlier than 90 days before the date upon which you mail your application or, if you do not submit proof by mail or online, 90 days before the date you vote)
  • Any other government-issued document

Voter Registration Deadlines

All voter registration applications and updates submitted online and by mail must be received by the Board by no later than the 21st day before the election in which you wish to vote. If you submit a voter registration application or update online or by mail and it is received after the 21st day before the election, your application will not be processed until after the election.
 
If you submit your application in person at the Board of Elections or another voter registration agency, your application should be received no later than the day before the start of the early voting period. To learn about key dates and deadlines in the upcoming election cycle, please visit www.dcboe.org. 
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