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Voting in District of Columbia, 2026

Every date and deadline for the November 3 general election, from registering to the final certificate, and who signs off on the result.

Right nowEarly voting is open in District of Columbia through Sunday, November 1.Election Day in 7 days

Every date, in order

  1. Mon, Oct 19 · passed
    Last day for mail ballot applications
    Mail ballot requests must be received by Monday October 19, 2026, 15 days before Election Day.[3 DCMR 720.5 (no later than 15 days before the election)]" and Sat., Oct. 31 UOCAVA request deadline. it says nothing about a different address or a replacement ballot[TENTATIVE] Board begins mailing ballots to registered voters", Oct. 19 "Deadline for receipt of ballot requests from non-UOCAVA voters" (3 DCMR 720.5, no later than 15 days before), Oct. 31 "Deadline for UOCAVA voters to request a ballot"2
  2. Mon, Oct 26 · passed
    Early voting begins
  3. Tue, Nov 3 · 7 days
    Election Day; Registration deadline
    Mail and online registrations close Tuesday October 13, 2026, and voters can register in person during early voting and on Election Day.2
  4. Fri, Nov 13 · 17 days
    Mail ballots must arrive
    Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received by Friday November 13, 2026.2
  5. Wed, Dec 2 · 36 days
    County/Local certification; State certification
    County/Local results must be certified by Wednesday, December 2, 2026. "[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results."[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results", Fri., Nov. 20 final count and Nov. 23 to 25 manual audit, but does not say DC has no county level, that the Board is the only canvassing body, or anything about the statute setting no deadline[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results", Nov. 20 "[TENTATIVE] Final count of mail ballots and accepted special and challenged ballots", Nov. 23 to 25 "[TENTATIVE] Board conducts public manual audit" The state certifies the results by Wednesday, December 2, 2026. "[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results."[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results", but the 1-1001.05(a)(11) and 1-1001.09a(j) rules and the 3 DCMR 813 remark are not on it[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results" citing 1-1001.05(a)(11) and 3 DCMR 813.1, Nov. 30 "[TENTATIVE] Board to publish" the manual audit report3

Questions people ask about voting in District of Columbia

Q. When does early voting end in District of Columbia?

Early voting runs from Monday October 26 through Sunday November 1, 2026.

Q. When is the deadline to register to vote in District of Columbia?

Mail and online registrations close Tuesday October 13, 2026, and voters can register in person during early voting and on Election Day.

Q. What is the last day to request a mail ballot in District of Columbia?

Mail ballot requests must be received by Monday October 19, 2026, 15 days before Election Day.[3 DCMR 720.5 (no later than 15 days before the election)]" and Sat., Oct. 31 UOCAVA request deadline. it says nothing about a different address or a replacement ballot[TENTATIVE] Board begins mailing ballots to registered voters", Oct. 19 "Deadline for receipt of ballot requests from non-UOCAVA voters" (3 DCMR 720.5, no later than 15 days before), Oct. 31 "Deadline for UOCAVA voters to request a ballot"

Q. When does my mail ballot have to arrive in District of Columbia?

Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received by Friday November 13, 2026.

Q. Who certifies the election in District of Columbia, and by when?

There are no counties. The District Board of Elections, three members appointed by the Mayor, canvasses and certifies the results. County/Local results must be certified by Wednesday, December 2, 2026. "[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results."[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results", Fri., Nov. 20 final count and Nov. 23 to 25 manual audit, but does not say DC has no county level, that the Board is the only canvassing body, or anything about the statute setting no deadline[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results", Nov. 20 "[TENTATIVE] Final count of mail ballots and accepted special and challenged ballots", Nov. 23 to 25 "[TENTATIVE] Board conducts public manual audit" The District Board of Elections, three members appointed by the Mayor with no two from the same party, receives the tallies, canvasses them and certifies the results. The state certifies the results by Wednesday, December 2, 2026. "[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results."[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results", but the 1-1001.05(a)(11) and 1-1001.09a(j) rules and the 3 DCMR 813 remark are not on it[TENTATIVE] Certification of election results" citing 1-1001.05(a)(11) and 3 DCMR 813.1, Nov. 30 "[TENTATIVE] Board to publish" the manual audit report

Q. What happens after the count in District of Columbia, and when is there a recount?

A recount is required when the margin is less than one percent of the votes cast for the office, and no candidate is charged for it.

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Sources

  1. US Vote Foundation, District of Columbia Election Dates and Deadlines, https://www.usvotefoundation.org/district-of-columbia-election-dates-and-deadlines
  2. Vote.org, District of Columbia Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/district-of-columbia/
  3. DC Board of Elections, https://dcboe.org/getmedia/4d04f4a1-fb2a-4f8a-809f-d3f708f232df/2026-General-Election-Calendar-Version-08072025.pdf
  4. NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
  5. Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/

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