DC Primary Election 2026: Voters prepare to head to the polls Tuesday
Voters prepare to head to the polls Tuesday
With just one day left before the D.C. primary election, voters are getting ready to head to the polls Tuesday.
WASHINGTON - With just one day left before the D.C. primary election, voters are getting ready to head to the polls Tuesday.
This year brings new voting rules and a new problem for one of the mayoral candidates. With 75% of D.C. voters registered Democrats, Primary Day typically determines the final outcomes in November. Voters will choose a new mayor, a new delegate to Congress, and candidates for D.C. Council seats and attorney general.
DC Primary Election 2026: What voters need to know before Election Day
The ranked‑choice voting system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference instead of selecting just one. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and votes are redistributed until a winner emerges. With the popularity of mail‑in ballots, the Board of Elections is directing residents to its website for tutorials on how to properly mark their ballots.
Three days before the primary, Democratic mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George’s campaign was hit with a $16,000 fine. FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick says the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance began investigating in April after receiving a complaint. The office says the campaign exceeded spending limits, accepted contributions above legal caps, and improperly coordinated with labor unions and outside political groups.
Lewis George’s campaign released a statement saying the order is riddled with factual errors and is politically motivated.
In‑person voting polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday. Mail‑in ballots must be postmarked by June 16.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the DC Board of Elections and previous FOX 5 reporting.