D.C. voters on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, can rank up to five candidates in any race with three or more candidates. Ranking backup choices does not hurt your first pick, but skipping two columns in a row can invalidate any choices you mark after the gap, according to the D.C. Board of Elections as described by FOX 5 DC.
D.C. voters approved ranked-choice voting in November 2024 through Initiative 83, which passed with roughly 73% of the vote and carried all eight wards, FOX 5 DC reported. The June 16 primary was the first time the District used it, and Tuesday is the first general election.
How to Mark Your Ballot
The ballot has a column for each preference level. Fill in the first column for your first choice, the second column for your second choice, and so on. You do not have to rank five candidates, and choosing just one candidate still counts. Lower rankings matter only if your top choice is eliminated.
Mistakes That Can Cost You
Each column may have only one selection, so ranking two candidates the same is a mistake. Skipping two consecutive columns can invalidate any choices marked after the gap, according to the Board of Elections.
How Winners Are Decided
Election workers count all first-choice votes first. A candidate with more than 50% wins outright. If no one passes 50%, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and each of that candidate’s ballots moves to the voter’s next active ranking. The process repeats until a candidate tops 50%. The mayor and congressional delegate races are among those on the ballot that use this system, FOX 5 DC reported.
When to Expect Results
Election workers begin reporting unofficial first-choice returns on election night. Mail ballots postmarked on time are accepted if they arrive after Election Day, and officials do not run the final elimination rounds until most ballots have been received. Definitive winners in close ranked-choice contests may take days to determine, according to FOX 5 DC and NBC Washington.
What’s Next
D.C. vote centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, according to WJLA. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the Board of Elections by Nov. 13, and drop boxes are available until 8 p.m. Nov. 3. Sample ballots and voting center locations are on the D.C. Board of Elections website.
The post Skipping Two Columns Can Void Your Later Picks: How to Mark D.C.’s Ranked-Choice Ballot appeared first on TANTV.
