For the purposes of this subchapter:

1. (1) The term “District” means the District of Columbia.

2. (2) The term “qualified elector” means a person who:

   1. (A) Is at least 17 years of age and who will be 18 years of age on or before the next general election;
   2. (B) Is a citizen of the United States; except, that this subparagraph shall not apply in a local election;
   3. (C) Has maintained a residence in the District for at least 30 days preceding the next election and does not claim voting residence or right to vote in any state, territory, or country; and
   4. (D) Repealed.
   5. (E) Has not been found by a court of law to be legally incompetent to vote.
3. (3) The term “Board” means the District of Columbia Board of Elections provided for by § 1-1001.03.
4. (4) The term “ward” means an election ward established by the Council.
5. (5) The term “State Board of Education” means the State Board of Education established by § 38-2651.
6. (6) The term “Delegate” means the Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia.
7. (7) The term “felony” includes any crime committed in the District of Columbia referred to in §§ 1-1001.14, 1-1162.32, and 1-1163.35.
8. (8) The term “Council” or “Council of the District of Columbia” means the Council of the District of Columbia established pursuant to the District of Columbia Home Rule Act [§ 1-201.01 et seq.].
9. (9) The term “Mayor” means the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia established pursuant to the District of Columbia Home Rule Act [§ 1-202.01 et seq.].
10. (9A) The term “Attorney General” or “Attorney General for the District of Columbia” means the Attorney General for the District of Columbia provided for by part D-i of subchapter I of Chapter 3 [§ 1-301.81 et seq.] and § 1-204.35.
11. (10) The term “initiative” means the process by which the electors of the District of Columbia may propose laws (except laws appropriating funds) and present such proposed laws directly to the registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia for their approval or disapproval.
12. (11) The term “referendum” means the process by which the registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia may suspend acts, or some part or parts of acts, of the Council of the District of Columbia (except emergency acts, acts levying taxes, or acts appropriating funds for the general operating budget) until such acts or part or parts of acts have been presented to the registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia for their approval or rejection.
13. (12) The term “recall” means the process by which the registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia may call for the holding of an election to remove or retain an elected official of the District of Columbia (except the Delegate to Congress for the District of Columbia) prior to the expiration of the elected official's term.
14. (13) The term “elected official” means the Mayor, the Chairman and members of the Council, the Attorney General, members of the State Board of Education, the Delegate to Congress for the District of Columbia, United States Senator and Representative, and advisory neighborhood commissioners of the District of Columbia.
15. (14) The term “printed” shall include any document produced by letterpress, offset press, photo reproduction, multilith, or other mass reproduction means.
16. (15) The term “proposer” means one or more of the registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia, including any entity, the primary purpose of which is the success or defeat of a political party or principle, or any question submitted to vote at a public election by means of an initiative, referendum or recall as authorized in amendments numbered 1 and 2 to Title IV of the Home Rule Act (§§ 1-204.101 to 1-204.115). Such entities shall be treated as a political committee as defined in § 1-1161.01(44) for purposes of this subchapter.

17. (16)

    1. (A) The term “residence,” for purposes of voting, means the principal or primary home or place of abode of a person. Principal or primary home or place of abode is that home or place in which the person’s habitation is fixed and to which a person, whenever a person is absent, has the present intention of returning after a departure or absence therefrom, regardless of the duration of the absence.

    2. (B) In determining what is a principal or primary place of abode of a person the following circumstances relating to the person may be taken into account:

       1. (i) Business pursuits;
       2. (ii) Employment;
       3. (iii) Income sources;
       4. (iv) Residence for income or other tax purposes;
       5. (v) Residence of parents, spouse, and children;
       6. (vi) Leaseholds;
       7. (vii) Situs of personal and real property; and
       8. (viii) Motor vehicle registration.
    3. (C) A qualified elector who has left the qualified elector's home and gone into another state or territory for a temporary purpose only shall not be considered to have lost the qualified elector's residence in the District.
    4. (D) If a qualified elector moves to another state or territory with the intention of making it the qualified elector's home, the qualified elector shall notify the Board, in writing, and shall be considered to have lost residence in the District.
    5. (E) No person shall be deemed to have gained or lost a residence by reason of absence while employed in the service of the District or the United States governments, while a student at any institution of learning, while kept at any institution at public expense, or while absent from the District with the intent to have the District remain the person's residence. If a person is absent from the District, but intends to maintain residence in the District for voting purposes, the person shall not register to vote in any other state or territory during his or her absence.
18. (17) The term “voter registration agency” means an office designated under § 1-1001.07(d)(1) and the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to perform voter registration activities.
19. (18) The term “application distribution agency” means an agency designated under § 1-1001.07(d)(14) in whose office or offices mail voter registration applications are made available for general distribution to the public.
20. (19) The term “duly registered voter” means a registered voter who resides at the address listed on the Board’s records.
21. (20) The term “registered qualified elector” means a registered voter who resides at the address listed on the Board’s records.
22. (21) The term “qualified registered elector” means a registered voter who resides at the address listed on the Board’s records.

23. (22) The term “voting system” means:

    1. (A) The combination of mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic equipment, including the software, firmware, and documentation required to program, control, and support the equipment used to:

       1. (i) Define ballots;
       2. (ii) Cast and count votes;
       3. (iii) Report or display elections results; and
       4. (iv) Maintain and produce a permanent record; and

    2. (B) The practices and documentation used to:

       1. (i) Identify system components and versions of components;
       2. (ii) Test the system during its development and maintenance;
       3. (iii) Maintain records of system errors and defects;
       4. (iv) Determine necessary system changes after the initial qualification of the system; and
       5. (v) Provide voters with notices, instructions, forms, paper ballots, or other materials.
24. (23) The term “Help America Vote Act of 2002” means the Help America Vote Act of 2002, approved October 29, 2002 (116 Stat. 1666; 42 U.S.C. § 15301 et seq.).
25. (24) The term “gender identity or expression” shall have the same meaning as provided in § 2-1401.02(12A).
26. (25) The term "election observers” means persons who witness the administration of elections, including individuals representing nonpartisan domestic and international organizations, including voting rights organizations, civil rights organizations, and civic organizations.

27. (26) The term "qualified petition circulator" means a person who is at least 17 years of age and who will be 18 years of age on or before the next general election and either:

    1. (A) A District resident; or
    2. (B) A resident of another jurisdiction who has registered with the Board as a petition circulator and consented to being subject to the subpoena power of the Board and the jurisdiction of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the enforcement of subpoenas without respect to the individual’s place of residence.

28. (27) The term "digital voter service system" means a website or mobile application that allows an individual to do the following:

    1. (A) Apply to become a registered voter;
    2. (B) Change the individual's name, address, or party affiliation in the individual's existing voter registration record; and
    3. (C) Request a mail-in ballot.
29. (28) The term "DMV" means the Department of Motor Vehicles.
30. (29) The term "mobile application" means specialized software, designed for a mobile device, in which electronic signatures are collected on an electronic petition.
31. (30) The term "mobile device" means a handheld, portable, wireless computing device, including a tablet computer or mobile phone.
32. (31) The term "polling place" shall have the same meaning as the term "Vote Center".
33. (32) The term "DOC" means the Department of Corrections.
34. (33) The term "automatic voter registration agency" means an agency designated under § 1-1001.07(c)(1) to automatically register qualified electors to vote.

35. (34) The term "local election" means:

    1. (A) An election for:

       1. (i) Mayor;
       2. (ii) Chairman or member of the Council;
       3. (iii) Attorney General;
       4. (iv) Member of the State Board of Education; or
       5. (v) Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner; or
    2. (B) An initiative, referendum, recall, or charter amendment measure on a District ballot.
36. (35) The term "ballot drop box" means a secured container in which a registered qualified elector may deposit a completed ballot.

37. (36) The term "mail-in ballot" means:

    1. (A) A physical ballot received by a registered qualified elector via mail; or
    2. (B) An alternate format ballot, such as a web-based ballot, that is accessible to registered qualified electors with disabilities and absent uniformed services and overseas voters.
38. (37) The term "Vote Center" means a centralized polling place at which registered qualified electors may vote, regardless of their address within the District; except, that only registered qualified electors in the care and custody of the Department of Corrections may vote at Vote Centers located in Department of Corrections facilities.
39. (38) "Active candidate" means a candidate who has not been defeated or elected and has not withdrawn their candidacy prior to election day pursuant to applicable law.
40. (39) "Highest-ranked active candidate" means the active candidate assigned a higher ranking than any other active candidates.
41. (40) "Inactive ballot" means a ballot on which no active candidate is ranked, contains an overvote at the highest ranking of active candidates, or contains 2 or more sequential skipped rankings before its highest-ranked active candidate.
42. (41) "Overvote" means an instance in which a voter has ranked more than one candidate at the same ranking.
43. (42) "Ranked choice voting" means a method of casting and tabulating votes whereby the voters rank candidates according to the order of their choice, and vote counting proceeds in rounds in which candidates are eliminated or elected.
44. (43) "Rank" means to assign a number to each candidate for an office corresponding to the voter's preference for that candidate relative to the other active candidates for that office, with the number "1" denoting the highest preference, followed by "2" and then "3" and then "4" and then "5."
45. (44) "Ranking" means the number assigned by a voter to a candidate to express the voter's choice for that candidate, with the number "1" denoting the highest ranking, followed by "2" and then "3" and then "4" and then "5".
46. (45) "Round" means an instance of the sequence of voting tabulation beginning with § 1-1001.08a(d) for any single-winner contest, § 1-1001.08a(e) for any general election for members of the Council at-large, and § 1-1001.08a(f) for any applicable presidential preference primary election.
47. (46) "Skipped ranking" means an instance of a voter leaving a ranking unassigned and ranking a candidate at a subsequent ranking.
48. (47) "Threshold for receiving delegates" means the percentage of votes necessary for a candidate to receive delegates in a presidential preference primary election conducted under § 1-1001.08a(f).
49. (48) "Undervote" means a ballot that does not contain any candidates at any ranking in a particular contest.

History

Aug. 12, 1955, 69 Stat. 699, ch. 862, § 2

Oct. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 820, Pub. L. 87-389, § 1(26)

Apr. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 103, Pub. L. 90-292, § 4(2)

Sept. 22, 1970, 84 Stat. 849, Pub. L. 91-405, title II, §§ 203(a), 205(a)

Dec. 23, 1971, 85 Stat. 788, Pub. L. 92-220, § 1(2)-(4)

Aug. 14, 1973, 87 Stat. 311, Pub. L. 93-92, § 1(1)

Dec. 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 832, Pub. L. 93-198, title VII, § 751(2)

Aug. 14, 1974, 88 Stat. 458, Pub. L. 93-376, title III, § 306(a)

Sept. 2, 1976, D.C. Law 1-79, title I, § 102(1), title VI, § 602, 23 DCR 2050

Apr. 23, 1977, D.C. Law 1-126, title III, § 301(a), (b), 24 DCR 2372

June 7, 1979, D.C. Law 3-1, § 2(a), 25 DCR 9454

Mar. 16, 1982, D.C. Law 4-88, § 2(b), 29 DCR 458

Aug. 2, 1983, D.C. Law 5-17, § 5(a), 30 DCR 3196

Sept. 22, 1994, D.C. Law 10-173, § 2(a), 41 DCR 5154

July 25, 1995, D.C. Law 11-30, § 2(a), 42 DCR 1547

Apr. 12, 2000, D.C. Law 13-91, § 123(a), 47 DCR 520

Dec. 7, 2004, D.C. Law 15-218, § 2(a), 51 DCR 9132

June 25, 2008, D.C. Law 17-177, § 4(a), 55 DCR 3696

Feb. 4, 2010, D.C. Law 18-103, § 2(a), 56 DCR 9169

May 27, 2010, D.C. Law 18-160,§ 131(b), 57 DCR 3012

Apr. 27, 2012, D.C. Law 19-124, § 501(g)(1), 59 DCR 1862

Oct. 17, 2013, D.C. Law 20-31, § 2(a), 60 DCR 11535

Feb. 26, 2015, D.C. Law 20-158, § 2(a)

Mar. 3, 2015, D.C. Law 20-167, § 2(b), 61 DCR 10738

Oct. 8, 2016, D.C. Law 21-160, § 1072(a)

Mar. 16, 2021, D.C. Law 23-192, § 2(a)

Apr. 27, 2021, D.C. Law 23-277, § 2(a)

Feb. 23, 2023, D.C. Law 24-242, § 2(a)

Apr. 6, 2023, D.C. Law 24-342, § 3(b)

Mar. 7, 2025, D.C. Law 25-295, § 2(a)

References in Text

The National Voter Registration Act, referred to in (17), is classified at Pub. L. 103-31, May 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 77.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(b) of the Special Election Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-617, Jan. 28, 2015, 62 DCR 1908, 21 STAT 794).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see §§ 2(a) and 3 of the Voter Registration Access and Modernization Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-616, Jan. 28, 2015, 62 DCR 1905, 21 STAT 791).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 401(g)(1) of Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2012 (D.C. Act 19-298, January 29, 2012, 59 DCR 683).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(a) of Omnibus Election Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-236, November 30, 2009, 56 DCR 9154).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(a) of Help America Vote Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-658, December 29, 2004, 52 DCR 492).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(a) of Help America Vote Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-405, March 18, 2004, 51 DCR 3650).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(a) of Help American Vote Emergency Amendment Act of 2003 (D.C. Act 15-283, December 18, 2003, 51 DCR 197).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 804(a) of Coronavirus Support Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-326, May 27, 2020, 67 DCR 7045).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 804(a) of Coronavirus Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-328, June 8, 2020, 67 DCR 7598).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 201(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-336, July 22, 2020, 67 DCR 9148).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of General Election Preparations Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-382, Aug. 13, 2020, 67 DCR 9865).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 804(a) of Coronavirus Support Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-405, Aug. 19, 2020, 67 DCR 10235).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of Election Worker Residency Requirement Waiver Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-410, Oct. 5, 2020, 67 DCR 11511).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 201(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-437, Oct. 28, 2020, 67 DCR 12993).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 201(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-76, May 3, 2021, 68 DCR 004935).

Temporary Legislation

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2(a) of Help America Vote Temporary Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Law 15-120, March 30, 2004, law notification 51 DCR 3807).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 804(a) of Coronavirus Support Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-130, Oct. 9, 2020, 67 DCR 8622).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 201(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-151, Dec. 3, 2020, 67 DCR 9920).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of General Election Preparations Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-167, Dec. 23, 2020, 67 DCR 13022).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of Election Worker Residency Requirement Waiver Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-170, Dec. 23, 2020, 67 DCR 13214).

Effect of Amendments

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-167 rewrote (5); and substituted “members of the State Board of Education” for “the President and members of the Board of Education” in (13).

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-158 would have added (27) and (28).

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 20-31 added (26).

D.C. Law 19-124, in par. (3), substituted “Board of Elections” for “Board of Elections and Ethics”; in par. (7), substituted “§ 1-1162.32 and 1-1163.35” for “§ 1-1105.07 or § 1-1107.01”; and, in par. (15), substituted “§ 1-1161.01(44) for purposes of this subchapter” for “§ 1-1101.01 for purposes of this subchapter”.

D.C. Law 18-160 added par. (9A); and, in par. (13), inserted “the Attorney General,”.

D.C. Law 18-103 rewrote pars. (2) and (7); and added par. (25).

D.C. Law 17-177 added par. (24).

D.C. Law 15-218 added pars. (22) and (23).

D.C. Law 13-91, in par. (13), inserted “United States Senator and Representative,”.

Prior Codifications

1973 Ed., § 1-1102.

1981 Ed., § 1-1302.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 1-301.83, § 1-309.09, § 1-401, § 1-1001.07, and § 38-2651.

Cross References

Delegate to the House of Representatives, qualifications, see § 1-401.

Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, “registered qualified elector” defined, see § 1-309.09.

Applicability

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-158: § 3 of D.C. Law 20-158 provided that the change made to this section by § 2(a) of D.C. Law 20-158 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.

Section 7010 of D.C. Law 21-160 repealed § 3 of D.C. Law 20-158. Therefore the changes made to this section by D.C. Law 20-158 have been given effect.

Applicability of D.C. Law 24-242: § 3 of D.C. Law 24-242 provided that the change made to this section by § 2(a) of D.C. Law 24-242 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.

Section 7084 of D.C. Law 25-50 repealed section 3 of D.C. Law 24-242 removing the applicability provision impacting this section. Therefore the amendment of this section by section 2(a) of Law 24-242 has been implemented.

Applicability of D.C. Law 25-295: § 3 of D.C. Law 25-295 provided that the amendment to this section by § 2(a) of D.C. Law 25-295 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.