Question 1

What local races are on the ballot?

Accepted Answer

D.C. Council wards 2, 4, 7, 8 and two at-large seats will be on the ballot, as well as Initiative 83, advisory neighborhood commissioners and some state board of education seats. Federal races are president and delegate to the House. Also on the ballot: the shadow U.S. senator and U.S. representative. Eleanor Holmes Norton, 87, is seeking her 18th term as House delegate and is now the oldest member of the U.S. House. Michael Brown, a former D.C. Council member, is challenging her as an independent after running as a Democrat in the primary. Myrtle Patricia Alexander is the Republican, and Kymone Freeman is running on the D.C. Statehood Green Party ticket.

Question 2

Who are the candidates running for D.C. Council?

Accepted Answer

Question 3

What’s happening with the Ward 8 council race?

Accepted Answer

White was indicted in September on a federal bribery charge, accused of accepting roughly $35,000 in bribes from an associate in exchange for using his influence to try to pressure D.C. officials to extend the associate’s contracts for violence-interruption work. He agreed to accept more than $100,000 in future kickbacks as well, prosecutors say. The charge — to which White has pleaded not guilty — puts his political future into question. While he decided to remain in the race, if he is convicted of the felony bribery charge, he would not be able to continue serving on the council. The D.C. Council also has begun its own investigation into White’s actions and the question of whether he still lives in his ward, and the body could act to expel him, which would require a supermajority. While a smattering of write-in candidates are seeking the Ward 8 seat — chief among them Henderson, a former advisory neighborhood commissioner — write-in candidacies remain a long shot and there’s a strong likelihood that White will win on Election Day. White enjoys a strong base of support in his ward, which is the poorest in the city. And some Democrats fear that not voting for White could give Derenge, the Republican, a chance at victory.

Question 4

What is Initiative 83 and what would it do?

Accepted Answer

There are two components to Initiative 83: It would create semi-open primaries in D.C., allowing independents to vote in the primary election of their choice, and it would institute ranked-choice voting in D.C. First, semi-open primaries: Because D.C. is overwhelmingly Democratic, the Democratic Party primary is often the deciding election in local races. But because primaries are closed, meaning only members of that political party can vote in them, a voter needs to register as a Democrat to vote in what effectively is the deciding election in the city — or with other parties to vote in their primaries. Supporters say independents should be able to participate in this critical election because the primaries are taxpayer-funded. But critics, including the Democratic Party, say party primaries should only be decided by party members. Second, ranked-choice voting. Under the current system, the candidate who gets the most votes wins. But under ranked choice, you can rank up to five candidates in order of your preference. (You can pick only one top choice.) Supporters say it strengthens democracy because under this system, a candidate can’t win unless he or she receives at least 50 percent of the vote, avoiding outcomes in which a winning candidate in a crowded race receives only a small fraction of the total vote. How the votes are counted: If after the votes are tallied a candidate has more than 50 percent of the vote, that person wins. If not, counting will proceed to a second round, and the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. If that worst-performing candidate was your first choice, your vote goes to your second choice, and the votes are tallied again. The process continues until one candidate has a majority. The Democratic Party establishment has come out against Initiative 83, filing a lawsuit to try to keep it off the ballot and saying ranked-choice voting could result in voter mistakes that suppress rather than broaden participation. Ranked-choice voting also means results of an election may take longer to tabulate. Locally, Arlington County has ranked-choice voting, and the Virginia Republican Party used the system to select a gubernatorial candidate in 2021. Two states — Maine and Alaska — use the system, although Alaska is holding a referendum on Nov. 5 on whether it should abandon both ranked-choice voting and open primaries.

Question 5

How do I vote?

Accepted Answer

Election Day is Nov. 5, and you can also vote at an early voting center from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3. Hours of the early voting centers are 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. All registered D.C. voters also should have received a ballot in the mail. If you want to vote by mail, follow the included instructions to mail back your ballot. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 5, and received by the Board of Elections by Nov. 15. Alternatively, you can drop off your ballot at any ballot drop box in the city until 8 p.m. on Election Day. D.C. has same-day voter registration, so you can show up at any vote center on Election Day with proof of residence and be issued a ballot. If you do not have proof of residence, you can vote a special ballot that day, then bring proof of residence to the Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Nov. 7 to have your ballot counted. Here is a map of all the drop boxes, early voting centers and Election Day vote centers.

Question 6

I live in D.C., but I’m not a U.S. citizen. Am I allowed to vote?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in some races. D.C. enacted a law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections in the city, which began with the June primary. Noncitizens are allowed to vote for local positions, such as D.C. Council member, but they cannot vote for federal offices, such as president or delegate to the House. Noncitizens will receive a ballot with only local races.

A guide to the 2024 D.C. general election: What to know before you vote

There’s plenty to pay attention to in D.C.’s elections, with perhaps the biggest being the initiative that would bring ranked-choice voting to the city.