//Run for office · District of Columbia

How to run for local office in District of Columbia

Every registered D.C. voter is mailed a ballot about five weeks before Election Day, the voter file is free, and the entry-level office is a 25-signature Advisory Neighborhood Commission seat.

Facts checked against official sources · September 9, 2026

The District of Columbia is a single jurisdiction, so the only local government is the D.C. government: a Mayor, a 13-member Council, an Attorney General, a State Board of Education, and 46 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions with 345 commissioners, each elected from a single-member district of about 2,000 residents. Elections are in even-numbered years only, with a June primary for partisan offices and a November general election where ANC and school board seats appear nonpartisan. There are no regular District elections in 2027; the next cycle is the June 6, 2028 primary and November 7, 2028 general.

Since the Elections Modernization Amendment Act of 2022, the D.C. Board of Elections mails a ballot to every active registered voter for every election it runs, opens a week of early vote centers, and allows same-day registration through Election Day. The Board gives away the voter registration list, with or without voting history, on a one-page data request. The Office of Campaign Finance enforces low contribution limits ($500 for a ward Council seat, $25 for an ANC seat) and runs the Fair Elections Program, which matches small donations 5-to-1 for Council, Mayor, Attorney General, and school board candidates.

Election authority: District of Columbia Board of Elections (DCBOE)
Voter file: Public record — anyone can obtain it · No charge. Voter registration data by email or secure link in Microsoft Excel is free; large-format print maps are $10 (DCBOE Data Request Form, revised 2026-08-17)
Campaign finance: OCF Electronic Filing and Disclosure System (efiling through ocf.dc.gov) (D.C. Office of Campaign Finance (OCF))
How voters vote: Every registered voter is mailed a ballot
Registration deadline: Mail and online applications must reach DCBOE by the 21st day before the election; in-person applications at the Board and voter registration agencies until the day before early voting; and any qualified elector may register and vote at an early vote center or on Election Day with proof of residence (D.C. Code §1-1001.07). Residents may preregister at 16.
Local offices: Mixed. Mayor, Council, Attorney General, Delegate, and the shadow delegation are partisan with a closed June primary for the Democratic, Republican, and D.C. Statehood Green parties. State Board of Education and Advisory Neighborhood Commission seats are nonpartisan and appear only on the November ballot.

Who runs elections in District of Columbia

District of Columbia Board of Elections (DCBOE) DCBOE is the District's only election office. It registers voters, prints and mails every ballot, runs the vote centers, issues nominating petitions for every office from Mayor to ANC commissioner, posts the count of registered voters by party, ward, and precinct when petitions become available, fills voter data requests, and certifies results. A local candidate deals with DCBOE for petitions and the voter list and with the separate Office of Campaign Finance for money.

There is no county or municipal layer. DCBOE at 1015 Half Street SE handles everything statewide-equivalent and local: voter registration, the mail ballot program, early vote centers, Election Day vote centers, drop boxes, petition challenges, and ANC vacancy elections. The Office of Campaign Finance, an independent office under the Campaign Finance Board, handles registration, reporting, audits, and the Fair Elections Program.

Getting the District of Columbia voter file

The voter file is the list of every registered voter, with the fields a campaign needs to target: address, party where the state records it, and vote history. In District of Columbia it comes from D.C. Board of Elections (Data Request Form).

Access: Public record — anyone can obtain it
Cost: No charge. Voter registration data by email or secure link in Microsoft Excel is free; large-format print maps are $10 (DCBOE Data Request Form, revised 2026-08-17)
Format: Microsoft Excel, delivered by email or secure link (the full list is only delivered by secure link); citywide, ward, ANC, or single-member district
Vote history: Included
Phone numbers: Not confirmed
Updated: On request; the Board says D.C.'s FOIA allows up to 15 business days to fill a request. Monthly registration statistics are posted as PDFs.

Who can get it: Anyone who submits the Board's Request for Voter Registration Data, Maps or Petition Signatures form, online or by email to voterservices@dcboe.org. Candidates for ANC seats are emailed a link to the voters in their single-member district when they pick up petitions.

Permitted use: The request form does not restrict use, and D.C. Code §1-1001.07 makes the registration roll a public record; the Board withholds the identity of the agency through which a voter registered. Treat it as political-use data and do not republish it.

County option: Not applicable; there is no county. Ask for the list by ward, ANC, or single-member district on the same form, which is the practical size for a Council or ANC race.

The form offers the voter registration list without voter history or with voter history at no charge. Registration records include name, address, date of birth, party, ward, precinct, and ANC single-member district under D.C. Code §1-1001.07; confirm with voter services which of those fields the released list carries.
DCBOE also posts the exact count of registered voters by party, ward, and precinct in its office when petitions become available, 144 days before a primary, and puts alphabetical voter lists in public libraries 45 days before each election.

Whatever file you get, Culper imports it as a CSV and maps the columns for you. See how to read a voter file for what the fields mean.

Filing to run for local office in District of Columbia

Every office is by nominating petition, with no filing fee. Partisan offices (Mayor, Council, Attorney General, Delegate, shadow delegation) are nominated in the June primary by petitions signed by 2,000 party members or 1% of the party's registration, whichever is less, and for a ward Council seat by 250 ward party members or 1%; independent and minor-party candidates go straight to the November ballot with 3,000 signatures or 1.5% of all registered voters (500 for a ward seat). The State Board of Education is nonpartisan: 1,000 signatures at-large or 200 in a ward, filed for the general election. An Advisory Neighborhood Commission seat needs 25 signatures of registered voters in the single-member district (D.C. Code §1-309.05 and §1-1001.08). Petitions are posted for a 10-day challenge period after the deadline.

File with: D.C. Board of Elections, 1015 Half Street SE, Suite 750, in person; petitions are picked up (or emailed) after filing a notarized Declaration of Candidacy.
Filing fee: None. The District of Columbia charges no candidate filing fees for any office.
Petition: ANC: 25 registered voters in the single-member district. SBOE: 1,000 at-large or 200 in a ward. Ward Council: 250 party members or 1% for the primary, 500 registered ward voters for direct nomination in the general. Citywide partisan offices: 2,000 or 1% for the primary, 3,000 or 1.5% for the general (D.C. Code §1-1001.08).
Partisan?: Mixed. Mayor, Council, Attorney General, Delegate, and the shadow delegation are partisan with a closed June primary for the Democratic, Republican, and D.C. Statehood Green parties. State Board of Education and Advisory Neighborhood Commission seats are nonpartisan and appear only on the November ballot.

Filing window: Primary: petitions may not circulate before the 144th day and may not be filed before the 115th day before the primary, and are due 90 days before it (D.C. Code §1-1001.08). General election: nonpartisan and independent petitions, including ANC and SBOE, are due 90 days before the election; ANC petitions become available 120 days before and SBOE petitions may be filed from 115 days before. For the November 3, 2026 general the deadline was August 5, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Key District of Columbia dates
What	When	Note
Regular District elections in 2027	Varies	None are scheduled; D.C. elects all offices in even-numbered years (D.C. Code §1-1001.10). Special elections to fill vacancies are set 70 to 174 days after the vacancy.
Primary petitions may be filed (2028 primary)	February 12, 2028	115th day before the June 6, 2028 primary, D.C. Code §1-1001.08; circulation may begin January 14, 2028 (144th day). Computed from statute, confirm on DCBOE's 2028 calendar.
Primary petitions due	March 8, 2028	90 days before the primary, 5:00 p.m., D.C. Code §1-1001.08.
Voter registration deadline (mail and online), primary	May 16, 2028	21 days before the election; same-day registration remains available at vote centers.
Primary election	June 6, 2028	First Tuesday in June in a presidential year, D.C. Code §1-1001.10; third Tuesday in June in other even years (June 16, 2026).
ANC nominating petitions available	July 10, 2028	120 days before the general election, 3 DCMR §1603.7; SBOE petitions may be filed from 115 days before (July 15, 2028).
ANC, SBOE, and independent petitions due	August 9, 2028	90 days before the general election, 5:00 p.m., D.C. Code §§1-309.05 and 1-1001.08.
Voter registration deadline (mail and online), general	October 17, 2028	21 days before the election; in-person and same-day registration continue through Election Day.
General election	November 7, 2028	Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year, D.C. Code §1-1001.10 and §1-309.06.

2028 dates are computed from the statutory offsets and the 2026 calendar pattern (2026 general: petitions available July 6, due August 5). DCBOE's official 2028 calendars, once posted, control.
ANC vacancies between elections are filled by a special petition process with the same 25 signatures; DCBOE posts vacancy notices and gives each vacancy candidate the single-member district voter list.

Campaign finance rules in District of Columbia

State-level campaign finance in District of Columbia is overseen by D.C. Office of Campaign Finance (OCF) through OCF Electronic Filing and Disclosure System (efiling through ocf.dc.gov).

Where local candidates file: Every candidate files with OCF; there is nowhere else. A traditional candidate files a Statement of Candidacy within 5 days of becoming a candidate or first raising or spending money, designates a principal campaign committee, takes OCF's training within 15 days, and files Reports of Receipts and Expenditures electronically. A candidate who expects to spend under $500 and names no committee can claim an exemption and file two short certifications instead. ANC candidates are exempt from OCF registration; DCBOE sends OCF the candidate list, and each ANC candidate files only a Summary Financial Statement (OCF Form 18) within 60 days after the Board certifies the results. Fair Elections Program candidates register with a Public Financing Statement of Registration instead.

Contribution limits: D.C. Code §1-1163.33, aggregated across the primary and general for the same office: $2,000 for Mayor, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Representative (shadow); $1,500 for Council Chairman and Attorney General; $1,000 for At-Large Councilmember; $500 for Ward Councilmember and at-large State Board of Education; $200 for a ward State Board of Education member or party official; and $25 for an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. Cash or money orders are capped at $100. Fair Elections Program participants accept only small-dollar contributions capped per contributor at $200 (Mayor, Attorney General, Chairman), $100 (At-Large Council), $50 (Ward Council and at-large SBOE), and $20 (ward SBOE) under §1-1163.32b, and receive a base grant of $40,000 for a Council seat plus a 5-to-1 match on contributions from District residents once they hit the qualifying threshold (150 contributors and $5,000 for a ward seat).

Reporting: D.C. Code §1-1163.09: Reports of Receipts and Expenditures on March 10, June 10, August 10, October 10, and December 10 in the seven months before an election, plus January 31 in the election year, plus 8 days before a special or general election; contributions of $200 or more received after the last pre-election closing date are reported within 24 hours. January 31 and July 31 reports continue until the committee terminates. All reports are filed electronically unless OCF waives it.

OCF's 2026 Campaign Finance Guide (January 2026) is the consolidated reference for limits, forms, training, and the Fair Elections Program rules quoted here.

Limits and thresholds change. Treat the figures here as a starting point and confirm the current schedule with D.C. Office of Campaign Finance (OCF) before you accept a check. Our campaign finance basics guide covers the bookkeeping every local candidate needs on day one.

How voting works in District of Columbia

Every registered voter is mailed a ballot. Every active registered voter is mailed a ballot before each election DCBOE runs, with no request needed, and can return it by mail, at a drop box, or at any vote center; voters may instead vote in person at any early vote center or on Election Day. Ballots are counted if postmarked by Election Day and received within 10 days. Mail ballots therefore dominate, and the campaign is fought during the five-week return window.

Early voting: Early Vote Centers open for the week before Election Day, 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. every day: October 26 through November 1 for the November 3, 2026 general and June 8 through 14 for the June 16, 2026 primary. D.C. Code §1-1001.09 allows up to 12 days and at least 8 centers; any voter may use any center, and same-day registration is available there.
Mail ballots: Universal. DCBOE mails ballots to all active registered voters roughly five weeks out (September 28, 2026 for the November 3 general; drop boxes open from October 9). Voters who will be away request a ballot at a different address by the 15th day before the election. Ballots must be postmarked or otherwise shown to have been sent by Election Day and received by the 10th day after; the cure deadline follows about a week later. BallotTrax (votedc.ballottrax.net) lets each voter track their own ballot.
Registration deadline: Mail and online applications must reach DCBOE by the 21st day before the election; in-person applications at the Board and voter registration agencies until the day before early voting; and any qualified elector may register and vote at an early vote center or on Election Day with proof of residence (D.C. Code §1-1001.07). Residents may preregister at 16.
Same-day registration: Yes

Knowing who has already voted: DCBOE does not post a public daily ballot-return file on dcboe.org, and BallotTrax is per-voter. What you can get: the voter registration list with voter history, free, on the Data Request Form, which records each election a voter participated in once the Board processes returns, so re-order it after the primary to build your general-election universe. During the return window, ask voter services (voterservices@dcboe.org) for updated returned-ballot data by ward or single-member district; the Board fills requests within 15 business days under D.C. FOIA, so file early and repeat. Same-day registration means the universe grows through Election Day; DCBOE posts monthly registration statistics as PDFs.

In a vote-by-mail state the campaign is won during the return window, not on election day. Read ballot chase in vote-by-mail states for how to work the returned-ballot list every day.

Local government in District of Columbia: what you can run for

One government, the District of Columbia, with no counties, cities, or towns. The Council has 13 members: a Chairman and four members elected at-large, and one from each of eight wards, on staggered four-year terms. The State Board of Education has nine elected members, one from each of eight wards and one at-large, on four-year nonpartisan terms (D.C. Code §38-2651). Below that sit 46 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions divided into 345 single-member districts of approximately 2,000 residents each (D.C. Code §1-309.03); commissioners serve two-year terms, give official advice on liquor licenses, zoning, and services, and are the District's entry-level elected office. The Mayor, Attorney General, Delegate to Congress, and shadow Senators and Representative are also elected.

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (single-member district)
State Board of Education member (ward)
State Board of Education member (at-large)
Councilmember (ward)
Councilmember (at-large)
Chairman of the Council
Mayor
Attorney General
Delegate to the U.S. House
Shadow U.S. Senator and Representative

When local elections happen: Even-numbered years only. Partisan primaries fall on the first Tuesday in June in presidential years and the third Tuesday in June in other even years; the general election is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November (D.C. Code §1-1001.10). All 345 ANC seats are elected every two years at the November general (D.C. Code §1-309.06). The Mayor, Chairman, Attorney General, and the Ward 1, 3, 5, and 6 seats run in non-presidential years (2026, 2030); Wards 2, 4, 7, and 8 and two at-large seats run in presidential years (2028, 2032).

Special elections to fill Council or SBOE vacancies are held 70 to 174 days after the vacancy on a date the Board sets; ANC vacancies are filled by petition without a full election unless contested.

Running your District of Columbia campaign on Culper

Culper does not license voter data in District of Columbia today. You upload the District of Columbia voter file described above as a CSV, and every feature runs on it: search and lists, plain-English queries, texting and email, block walking, and volunteer coordination. Online donation processing is in development; ask about timing on the onboarding call. Your file stays in your campaign's workspace and is never shared with another campaign.

Set up your District of Columbia campaign in an afternoon

Upload the voter file, ask for your first list in plain English, and hand your volunteers the walking app. Signup is open to candidates in every state. Pricing is set after a short call so it matches the size of the race.

Get started Book a demo

District of Columbia questions we get asked

How do I run for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in the District of Columbia?

Be a registered voter who has lived in the single-member district for 60 days, file a notarized Declaration of Candidacy with the D.C. Board of Elections, pick up a petition when it becomes available 120 days before the November general election, and file 25 valid signatures of registered voters in your district by 5:00 p.m. 90 days before the election (August 5, 2026 for the last cycle; August 9, 2028 for the next). There is no fee and no OCF registration; you file one Summary Financial Statement after the election.

Is the District of Columbia voter file free, and what does it include?

Yes. The D.C. Board of Elections delivers the voter registration list in Excel by email or secure link at no charge, with or without voting history, for the whole District or any ward, ANC, or single-member district; you submit its Data Request Form online or to voterservices@dcboe.org. The Board may take up to 15 business days under D.C. FOIA. ANC candidates are emailed their district's list automatically when they pick up petitions.

What are the contribution limits for a D.C. Council or ANC candidate in the District of Columbia?

D.C. Code §1-1163.33 caps a contributor at $500 for a ward Councilmember, $1,000 for an at-large seat, $1,500 for Chairman, $200 for a ward school board seat, and $25 for an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, aggregated across the primary and general. Candidates in the Fair Elections Program take only small-dollar gifts ($50 per person for a ward Council seat) and receive a $40,000 base grant plus 5-to-1 matching on District residents' contributions after reaching 150 contributors and $5,000.

Does every voter in the District of Columbia get a ballot in the mail?

Yes. Under the Elections Modernization Amendment Act of 2022, the D.C. Board of Elections mails a ballot to every active registered voter for every election it administers, about five weeks before Election Day (September 28, 2026 for the November 2026 general). Voters return it by mail, drop box, or at any vote center, or vote in person during the week of early voting or on Election Day. Ballots count if postmarked by Election Day and received within 10 days.

Are there any local elections in the District of Columbia in 2027?

No regular ones. The District of Columbia elects every office, from Mayor to ANC commissioner, in even-numbered years under D.C. Code §1-1001.10, so the next cycle is the June 6, 2028 primary and the November 7, 2028 general. The only 2027 contests would be special elections to fill a Council or school board vacancy, which the Board schedules 70 to 174 days after the seat opens.

How can a District of Columbia campaign tell who has already returned a mail ballot?

The D.C. Board of Elections does not post a daily return file. Request the free voter registration list with voter history and re-request it as the Board processes ballots, and ask voter services for returned-ballot data by ward or single-member district during the return window; requests can take up to 15 business days, so file early and repeat. BallotTrax only shows a voter their own ballot status.

Can District of Columbia voters register on Election Day?

Yes. D.C. Code §1-1001.07 lets a qualified elector register and cast a regular ballot at any early vote center or Election Day vote center with proof of District residence. Mail and online registrations must arrive 21 days before the election to get a mailed ballot, and party affiliation changes for a closed primary must be filed by the same 21-day deadline. Sixteen-year-olds may preregister.

Keep reading

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against the official sources below on September 9, 2026. Rules change between cycles; when a number here and the agency disagree, the agency is right.