Register and Vote the Same Day in the District

You must be registered to vote before you can cast a ballot in the District of Columbia. Registering to vote is simple and free. You may register before Election Day or at the polls on Election Day. Once early voting begins on Monday, October 22, you must show proof of residence to register.

You are eligible to register to vote if you meet all of the following requirements:

• You are a citizen of the United States;
• You will be at least 18 years old by November 6, 2012;
• You will have resided in the District of Columbia for at least 30 consecutive days immediately before the election;
• You are not in jail on a felony conviction;
• You have not been found by a court to be legally incompetent to vote; and
• You do not claim voting residence outside of the District of Columbia.

If you are not already registered to vote in the District of Columbia, don’t worry! You can register at an early voting location or at a polling place that serves your current address on Election Day. If you are registering to vote in the District for the first time, you must show proof of residence by providing one of the following types of documents:

•  Current and valid District of Columbia DMV-issued ID
•  Government check or paycheck
•  Bank statement
•  Current utility bill or lease
•  Other government document showing your name and current District address
•  Statement from a student housing/resident facility
•  Statement of occupancy from a District of Columbia homeless shelter

Note: All same-day registrants will vote by special ballot. That ballot will be counted once the Board is able to verify the information shown on your identification. If you do not provide one of the above types of identification when registering, you can still cast a special ballot, but it will not be counted unless you submit proof of residence to the Board within 10 days after the election (November 16).

November 6, 2012 Voter Guide