District of Columbia



Voter Education District of ColumbiaElections are the core of our democracy and this one is too important to leave to chance. By merely planning ahead, we can all do our part to help secure our democracy and keep our elections safe and fair.??Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u District of Columbia PAGEREF _Toc51620200 \h 4Voter Education PAGEREF _Toc51620201 \h 4Early Voting PAGEREF _Toc51620202 \h 4Voting Details and Centers PAGEREF _Toc51620203 \h 4List of Candidates PAGEREF _Toc51620204 \h 8Other Items on the Ballot PAGEREF _Toc51620205 \h 11DC Quick Reference Candidate Guide PAGEREF _Toc51620206 \h 13Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained PAGEREF _Toc51620207 \h 15District of ColumbiaVoter Education Voting Early Vote Centers for the November 3 General Election will open Tuesday, October 27, through Monday, November 2, 2020, from 8:30?am - 7:00 pm. And on November 3, 2020 (Election Day), Vote Centers will open from 7:00 am – 8:00 pm. See a list of Early Vote centers at Details and CentersEarly Voting Centers Ballot Drop Box LocationsYou may drop off your voted mail ballot in?ANY Ballot Drop Box at ANY time,?before 8:00 pm on Election Day, November 3, 2020. Day Voting Centers Voting Center Locator Tool To find information on: Register to Vote, Where to Vote, What Every Voter Should Know, Vote Absentee, etc., please visit: or contact District of Columbia Board of Elections at:DC Board of Elections1015 Half Street, SE, Suite 750Washington, DC 20003Telephone: (202) 727-2525Frequently Asked QuestionsOn the heels of a tumultuous June primary riddled with?ballot problems and voting delays, the District has revamped its voting processes to instill confidence in residents ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.This time around, D.C. will mail ballots to every registered voter — no special request needed — and install more than 55 secure drop boxes where people can deliver those ballots, allowing those who are concerned about the spread of the?coronavirus?to avoid voting in person.Despite these improvements, the D.C. Board of Elections has struggled at times to get its?messages across clearly.?President Trump’s attacks on the U.S. Postal Service?have done little to quell anxiety for prospective voters, prompting D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) to say recently she has “a lot of concerns about the upcoming election.”“We are seeing unprecedented voter suppression efforts taking place and real problems of people trying to slow or stop mail, or prevent people from having access,” Bowser told reporters this month. “We all need to be braced for an attack on the vote-by-mail system — be as prepared as possible to have as many options for in-person voting for as long as possible to deal with that — and ensure we have enough volunteers and people to support voters.”Here are answers to some common questions about how to register to vote and secure your ballot ahead of Election Day.How do I register to vote in D.C.?The District offers several ways to register — including by mail, email and in person while voting. Each method has specific requirements and deadlines, and there are additional steps if you are registering for the first time. The Board of Elections has provided a step-by-step guide?here.To register by mail or email, you must fill out?this?application, which is also available at the Board of Elections office, as well as public libraries, police precincts and fire stations. If you choose to email the application to?DCRegistrations@, you can scan or take a picture of the form and include it as an attachment.?If you have a valid D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles-issued identification, you do not need to sign the application before turning it in, as long as you consent to the use of your digital signature on file with the DMV. If you do not have a DMV-issued identification, you must sign the form.Voters should receive voter registration cards in the mail within three weeks of the board receiving their applications. You can call 202-727-2525 to check the status of your registration, or look it up online?here.What are the deadlines for registering to vote in D.C.?If you register by mail or email, the Board of Elections must receive your application at least 21 days before Election Day — Oct. 13. If you plan to submit your registration application in person at the Board of Elections or another voter registration agency,?you must do so at least one day before the start of early voting (Oct. 26 or earlier).Voters can also register in person while voting early, or on Election Day, as long as they come with a valid proof of residence, but keep in mind that this probably will take you more time at the polls. The list of acceptable proof-of-residence documents and other important details about same-day registration can be found?here.How do I know if I’m eligible to vote in the District?To be eligible to vote in D.C., you must be a U.S. citizen and have lived in the District for at least 30 days before the election. To participate in the general election, you must be at least 18 years old by Election Day. You are not eligible to vote if you claim voting residence outside the District or have been declared legally incompetent to vote by a court of law.Is there an easier way to register online?Unlike in Maryland and Virginia, there is no alternative to register online in the District beyond emailing your application to the Board of Elections. The board recently?abandoned?the Vote4DC mobile application — which allowed voters to register, update their information and locate polling places. The elections board chairman, Michael Bennett, said the app had a “much higher failure rate than acceptable” ahead of the June primary.The lack of a functional app has frustrated some prospective voters, as well as D.C. Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), who in an August letter to Bennett said, “There is no alternative than to have [a functioning app] up and running, particularly for residents without access to a printer, and especially during the pandemic, when in-person changes must be the last resort.” Bennett said the board is working to find a new way for voters to register easily using a handheld device.Can I vote by mail?Yes, and because of the coronavirus pandemic, you’re encouraged to use this option or drop your ballot off at a drop box. The Board of Elections plans to mail a ballot to every registered voter in the District beginning the first week of October. Instructions on how to vote and return the ballot will be included. If you choose to vote in person (more information on that below), you should bring the ballot you received in the mail with you when you vote; otherwise, you may have to cast a special ballot.What are the deadlines to get an absentee ballot?If you want your ballot mailed to a different address, you should fill out an absentee ballot request form and mail, fax or email it to the Board of Elections. The instructions for this process are laid out?here. Requests to change the address to which your ballot is sent must be received by the Board of Elections at least seven days before Election Day (Oct. 27 or earlier).Can I vote in person early? If so, when and where? And where can I vote on Election Day??Yes, you can vote early. The list of early-voting centers can be found?here. Each ward has at least two early-voting locations that will be open Oct. 27 through Nov. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. There are 16 in all. More than 70 vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. The full list of those can be found?here.Whether you are voting early or on Election Day, you should bring your mailed ballot with you. Otherwise, you may have to cast a special ballot to ensure that no one votes more than once. You can cast your ballot at any vote center, regardless of which ward you live in.The District has sought out a number of “super vote centers” — including?Nationals Park?and Capital One Arena — where large swaths of voters can be processed rapidly.What’s the deal with ballot drop boxes?There will be Drop Box locations?(See list of Drop Box locations)?starting in early October, with at least five drop sites per ward. These boxes are designed to provide voters with secure, socially distanced voting options and mitigate concerns about ballots getting delayed in the mail.?These boxes will be emptied at least twice a day and will be available for use until polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.The use of drop boxes is heavily encouraged by the Board of Elections. If you are unable to go to a drop box yourself, a friend or neighbor can collect your completed, sealed ballot and drop it off for you.Boxes will be placed liberally and strategically in Wards 7 and 8, where there are significant concerns about mail delays, Bennett said.When is the deadline to turn in or mail back my ballot?According to the Board of Elections, your completed mailed ballot “must be postmarked or otherwise demonstrated to be sent on or before Election Day.” For your vote to count, it must arrive no later than Nov. 13 — 10 days after Election Day. If you vote using a ballot drop box, you must drop off your completed ballot by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.You can return your mail-in or absentee ballot as soon as you receive it and complete it.Can I vote in person if my ballot was mailed to me?Yes. You can bring your completed ballot to an early-voting location or to a vote center on Election Day and turn it in there, according to the Board of Elections. If you already mailed in your ballot and then go to vote in person, however, you’ll need to fill out a?special ballot, which will be calculated after Election Day and issued people to whose voting eligibility cannot be determined while voting in person. In this case, the process would help make sure that your vote is counted only once.?How do I ensure my vote gets counted?Beginning in October, voters will be able to?track the status of their mail-in ballots?on the Board of Elections website.??Bennett called it “critically important” for voters to feel confident ahead of this election. “People want to make sure their vote is counted, and so do we,” he added.If you’re worried that you may not receive your ballot in time for it to be counted, you can contact the Board of Elections at 202-727-2525.Voter AssistanceDCBOE provides numerous voting options for senior citizens and people with disabilities. During Early Voting and on Election Day, senior?citizens and people with disabilities can vote in-person at any Vote Center.? Voter Assistance?Clerks will be present to help. In addition to in-person voting, DCBOE offers:Curbside voting (at select Vote Centers - check the Vote Centers listing)If you are unable to enter a Vote Center due to a disability, seniority, or illness, you may arrange to vote from your car.?Early Voting?You can cast your ballot at any Early Voting Center using the Board’s accessible touchscreen voting equipment. The touchscreen offers a voter-verifiable paper audit trail of all votes cast. Each voter will be checked in at the Early Voting Center using electronic pollbooks that are connected over a secure network so that a voter cannot check-in and cast a ballot at more than one (1) location.?Absentee VotingAll active registered voters will receive a Mail In ballot at their registered address beginning the first week in October.YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT!? However, you can use the absentee form to update your address or request the mail in ballot to be sent to another location where you are located.Voted and mailed ballots must be postmarked or otherwise demonstrated to have been sent on or before Election Day, and must arrive no later than the 10th?day after Election Day to be counted.??Ballots can be mailed via the postal carrier, dropped off at a Mail Ballot Drop Box?(See list of Drop Box locations)?or delivered in-person at any Voting Center during Early Voting or on Election Day by 8:00pm.List of Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (ANC)(0000000A)_1.pdfList of CandidatesCandidates for President:-114300151130This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA00This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SARepublican – Donald J. Trump - Pence - Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA00This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA Joe Biden – Presidential Nominee - Kalama Harris –Vice Presidential Nominee - - Jo Jorgensen - (Party focus: the health of our planet, and future generations)Green - Howie Gresham Hawkins - Angela Walker (Party focus: Socialist)Bread and Roses - Jerome M. Segal - John de Graaf **********************************left7620This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA00This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA Republican – Donald J. Trump - Pence - Donald Trump has not addressed any issues on his websitePlatform: President Donald TrumpTranscript: Donald Trump’s 2020 RNC Speech Note: President Trump does not address any issues on his website--he only states his accomplishments as President. Note: Fact Check: Trump's Address to The Republican Convention, Annotated Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA00This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA Democratic – Joe Biden - Presidential Nominee - Kalama Harris –Vice Presidential Nominee - - We aren’t just going to rebuild what has worked in the past. This is our opportunity to build back better than ever. Visit Joe Biden has many visions which he plan to handle. Five are listed below. Please view link for more of Joe Biden’s Bold Ideals and Vision for America.1) THE BIDEN PLAN TO COMBAT CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE GLOBAL HEALTH THREATSThat is why Joe Biden is outlining a plan:?A?decisive public health response?that ensures the wide availability of free testing; the elimination of all cost barriers to preventive care and treatment for COVID-19; the development of a vaccine; and the full deployment and operation of necessary supplies, personnel, and facilities.A?decisive economic response?that starts with emergency paid leave for all those affected by the outbreak and gives all necessary help to workers, families, and small businesses that are hit hard by this crisis. Biden will be ready on Day One of his Administration to protect this country’s health and well-being. But he is not waiting until then to communicate his views on what must be done now to properly serve the American people. Biden believes the following steps must immediately be taken. The Biden Plan calls for:-- Restoring trust, credibility, and common purpose.-- Mounting an effective national emergency response that saves lives, protects frontline workers, and minimizes the spread of COVID-19.-- Eliminating cost barriers for prevention of and care for COVID-19.-- Pursuing decisive economic measures to help hard-hit workers, families, and small businesses and to stabilize the American economy.-- Rallying the world to confront this crisis while laying the foundation for the future.2) Lift Every Voice: The Biden Plan for Black AmericaJoe Biden knows that African Americans can never have a fair shot at the American Dream so long as entrenched disparities are allowed to quietly chip away at opportunity. He is running for President to rebuild our economy in a way that finally brings everyone along—and that starts by rooting out systemic racism from our laws, our policies, our institutions, and our hearts.The Biden Plan for Black America will:?-- Advance the economic mobility of African Americans and close the racial wealth and income gaps.-- Expand access to high-quality education and tackle racial inequity in our education system.-- Make far-reaching investments in ending health disparities by race.-- Strengthen America’s commitment to justice.-- Make the right to vote and the right to equal protection real for African Americans.-- Address environmental justice.3) The Biden Plan for Health CareOn March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, with Vice President Biden standing by his side, and made history. It was a victory 100 years in the making. It was the conclusion of a tough fight that required taking on Republicans, special interests, and the status quo to do what’s right. But the Obama-Biden Administration got it done.Today, the Affordable Care Act is still a big deal. Because of Obamacare, over?100 million people?no longer have to worry that an insurance company will deny coverage or charge higher premiums just because they have a?pre-existing condition?– whether cancer or diabetes or heart disease or a mental health challenge. Insurance companies?can no longer set annual or lifetime limits?on coverage.The Biden plan to protect & build on the Affordable Care Act-- Give every American access to affordable health insurance-- Provide the peace of mind of affordable, quality health care and a less complex healthcare system-- Stand up to abuse of power by prescription drug corporations -- Ensure health care is a right for all, not a privilege for just a few4) The Biden Plan for Older Americans and RetirementThe moral obligation of our time is rebuilding the middle class. The middle class isn’t a number, it’s a value set. And, a key component of that value set is having a steady, secure income as you age so your kids won’t have to take care of you in retirement.-- Stand up to the abuse of power by prescription drug corporations-- Protect and strengthen Medicare as we know it and ensure quality, affordable health care for all older Americans-- Preserve and strengthen Social Security-- Equalize saving incentives for middle-class workers-- Provide help for older workers who want to keep working5) The Biden Plan for Ending Gun ViolenceJoe Biden knows that gun violence is a public health epidemic. Almost?40,000 people?die as a result of firearm injuries every year in the United States, and many more are wounded. Some of these deaths and injuries are the result of mass shootings that make national headlines. Others are the result of daily acts of gun violence or suicides that may not make national headlines, but are just as devastating to the families and communities left behind.Joe Biden has taken on the National Rifle Association (NRA) on the national stage and won – twice.He knows how to make progress on reducing gun violence using executive action. As president, he will continue to prioritize funding and ensure that the FBI is adequately funded to accurately and efficiently handle the NICS system.-- Addressing the deadly combination of guns and domestic violence-- Tackle urban gun violence with targeted, evidence-based community interventions-- Supporting survivors of violence and their communities.The following contests will appear on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 General Election:?Elector of President and Vice President of the United StatesDelegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the District of ColumbiaAt-large Member of the Council of the District of ColumbiaWard Member of the Council of the District of Columbia (Wards 2, 4, 7 & 8)United States SenatorUnited States RepresentativeAt-Large Member of the State Board of EducationWard Member of the State Board of Education (Wards 2, 4, 7 & 8)Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner?List of Candidates in Ballot Order - In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DC Board of Elections (BOE or the Board) has developed the Vote Safe DC campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to ensure that every vote is counted and that everyone, from voters to election workers, is safe.The Board is mailing every registered qualified voter a ballot for the November 3 General Election. Also, our office will be providing and accepting candidate filings?by email, mail, or in-person?(by appointment only by emailing?candidate@?– walk-ins will not be accepted). For details visit: and Candidates - Items on the Ballot (Questions/Amendments/Initiatives/Referendum/Charters)Ballot Initiative(s) – Click link below for more detail information.TypeTitleSubjectDescriptionInitiativeInitiative 81LawDeclares that investigations and arrests related to non-commercial prices with entheogenic plants and fungi are among the district's lowest law enforcement priorities A?"yes"?vote?supports?this ballot initiative to:* declare that police shall treat the non-commercial cultivation, distribution, possession, and use of?entheogenic plants and fungi?among the lowest law enforcement priorities and*define?entheogenic plants and fungi?as species of plants and fungi that contain ibogaine, dimethyltryptamine, mescaline, psilocybin, or psilocyn.A?"no"?vote?opposes?this ballot initiative to?declare that police shall treat the non-commercial cultivation, distribution, possession, and use of?entheogenic plants and fungi—including?psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, and iboga—as among the lowest law enforcement priorities. For more details and explanation on Initiative 81, please visit: (2020)DC Quick Reference Candidate Guide on the Position/OfficePRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCEPrimary election within the District of Columbia in which registered qualified voters may express their preference for candidates of each political party in the District of Columbia, for nomination for President.ELECTOR OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATESAlong with being qualified, each person elected as elector of President and Vice President must take an oath or solemnly swear to vote for the candidates of the party he or she has been nominated to represent, in the presence of the Board.DELEGATE TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAThe Delegate to the US House of Representatives is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from the District of Columbia. While unable to vote in the full House, the Delegate may vote in the Committee of the Whole and other committees of which the Delegate is a member.AT-LARGE MEMBER OF THE COUNCILTwo at-large members of the Council of the District of Columbia are elected to a four-year term every two years. The Council enacts laws, approves the annual operating budget, and establishes and oversees the programs and operations of all District government agencies.WARD MEMBER OF THE COUNCILOne member of the Council of the District of Columbia is elected from each of the District’s eight wards. Members of the Council hold staggered four-year terms. The Council enacts laws, approves the annual operating budget, and establishes and oversees the programs and operations of all District government agencies.UNITED STATES SENATORThe position of United States Senator was created by the 1982 Constitution of the State of New Columbia with the intention that the officeholder would become United States Representative upon the ratification of the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment of 1978. The duties of the office are: to inform Congress that DC residents meet the?traditional standards for achieving statehood; to monitor the process of the District's petition to gain statehood; and to advise the District of Columbia on public policy matters that bear on achieving statehood.UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVENothing listed??AT-LARGE MEMBER OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATIONOne At-Large member of the State Board of Education is elected to a four year term every four years. The State Board of Education is responsible for advising the State Superintendent of Education on educational matters, including: state standards; state policies, including those governing special, academic, vocational, charter and other schools; state objectives; and state regulations proposed by the Mayor or the State Superintendent of Education.WARD MEMBER OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATIONOne member of the State Board of Education is elected from each of the District’s eight wards. Members of the State Board hold staggered four-year terms. The State Board of Education is responsible for advising the State Superintendent of Education on educational matters, including: state standards; state policies, including those governing special, academic, vocational, charter and other schools; state objectives; and state regulations proposed by the Mayor or the State Superintendent of Education.ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONERAdvisory Neighborhood Commissioners advise the District government on matters of public policy including decisions regarding planning, streets, recreation, social services programs, health, safety, and sanitation in their respective neighborhood commission areas.Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College ExplainedLegislative CornerDoes Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained Does your vote count? The Electoral College explained - Christina GreerThe Electoral College in 2020The following is a summary of how the Electoral College will work in the 2020 presidential election:Spring and Summer 2020: Nomination of Electors. The political parties in each state nominate their electors. Parties and states have different ways of going about this, but a party's presidential electors are generally loyal or consistent party members. The parties want to be sure they can rely on their electors to cast their votes for the party's nominee for president.Nov. 3, 2020: Election Day, when voters in each state will select their presidential electors. The names of electors are not on the ballot in most states. Rather, when a voter casts a vote for a presidential candidate, s/he is also casting a vote for the electors already selected by the party of that candidate. If majority of voters in a state vote for the Republican candidate for president, the Republican slate of electors is elected. If a majority vote for the Democratic candidate, the Democratic slate of electors is chosen.Dec. 8, 2020: Deadline for Resolving Election Disputes. All state recounts and court contests over presidential election results must be completed by this date.Dec. 14, 2020: Meeting of the Electors. The electors meet in each state and cast their ballots for president and vice president. Each elector votes on his or her own ballot and signs it. The ballots are immediately transmitted to various people: one copy goes to the president of the U.S. Senate (who is also the vice president of the United States); this is the copy that will be officially counted later. Other copies go to the state's secretary of state, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the presiding judge in the district where the electors meet (this serves as a backup copy that would replace the official copy sent to the president of the Senate if it is lost or destroyed).Dec. 23, 2020: Deadline for Receipt of Ballots. The electors' ballots from all states must be received by the president of the Senate by this date. There is no penalty for missing this deadline.Jan. 6, 2021: Counting of the Electoral Ballots. The U.S. Congress meets in joint session to count the electoral votes.Jan. 20, 2021: Inauguration Day. The president-elect becomes the president of the United States.Nomination of ElectorsThe U.S. Constitution does not specify procedures for the nomination of candidates for presidential elector. The two most common methods the states have adopted are nomination by state party convention and by state party committee. Generally, the parties select members known for their loyalty and service to the party, such as party leaders, state and local elected officials and party activists. In some states, the electors' names appear on the ballot along with the names of the candidates for president and vice president. However, in most states, electors' names are not printed on the ballot. When a voter casts a vote for a candidate for President of the United States, s/he is casting a vote for the presidential electors who were selected by that candidate's party.Awarding Electoral VotesAll 50 states and the District of Columbia use one of two methods for awarding their electoral votes:The Winner-Take-All SystemIn 48 states and the District of Columbia, when a candidate for president wins a state's popular vote, that party's slate of electors will be the ones to cast the vote for president of the United States in December. For example, Florida has 29 electoral votes. If President Donald Trump wins the state's popular vote on Nov. 3, the 29 electors nominated by the Republican Party in Florida will be selected. These 29 people will gather on Dec. 14 to cast their votes for president of the United States.The District SystemMaine and Nebraska are the only states that do not use a winner-take-all system. Instead, in these two states, one electoral vote is awarded to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote in each congressional district, and the remaining two electoral votes are awarded to the candidates receiving the most votes statewide. This is known as the district system. It is possible under the district system to split the electoral vote for the state. This happened in 2008 in Nebraska: Barack Obama won the electoral vote in the congressional district including Omaha, while John McCain won in the state's other two districts and won the statewide vote as well, securing the state's two at-large votes. Thus, when the Nebraska presidential electors met in December 2008, there were four Republican electors and one Democrat. That election was the first time Nebraska's electoral vote was split.SourceNational Conference of State Legislatures: The Electoral College in 2020 – , Christina Greer - ................
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