The June 16, 2026 D.C. primary is the first under the city's new ranked-choice voting system. This site walks your ballot one race at a time — built primarily for Democratic primary voters. Rank the Mayor, Delegate, At-Large Council, and Ward 1 races; weigh the At-Large Council special election, which appears on every D.C. voter's ballot regardless of party; and read up on the Democratic State Committee candidates down-ballot. Built for D.C. Democrats. No login. Nothing saved.
Seven Democrats are competing to lead D.C. through federal pressure, housing supply, public safety, taxes, and the schools. The highest-profile race on the ballot — and the one that uses every ranked slot.
Five Democrats compete for D.C.'s lone voice in Congress after Eleanor Holmes Norton's retirement. Federal posture, statehood strategy, federal workforce defense, and how to confront a hostile Hill.
Nine ballot-qualified Democrats run for the citywide seat held by Anita Bonds. Housing supply, Initiative 82, education governance, ANCs, and the legislative posture of the next Council.
Five Democrats run for the open Ward 1 seat after Brianne Nadeau's retirement. Housing, public safety, neighborhood services, and the direction of one of D.C.'s densest, most contested wards. Rank the entire field.
A vacant citywide Council seat decided by every D.C. voter — Democrat, Republican, independent, or no party. Three candidates are on the ballot; rank up to four in order of preference. Currently held on an interim basis by Doni Crawford.
The party offices at the very end of your ballot — National Committee, At-Large Committee, and ward committees. Not ranked-choice, and reliable information is scarce. A research guide to the full field of candidates and slates.
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One bubble per column. You can only pick one candidate for each rank. Two bubbles in the "1st" column would be a spoiled rank.
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Rank as many or as few as you like. Leaving rows blank is fine. You can rank one candidate, all five, or anywhere in between.
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Ranking more can only help. If your 1st choice is eliminated, your ballot transfers to your 2nd. Your 2nd ranking never hurts your 1st.
Most of these tools are independent voter-education aids for the June 16, 2026 D.C. Democratic primary, built for D.C. Democrats. The At-Large special election tool is for every D.C. voter regardless of party, and the Democratic State Committee guide is a research reference rather than a ranking tool. For the ranking tools, candidate positions are drawn directly from public questionnaire responses to Greater Greater Washington, DC for Democracy, DC YIMBYs, Free DC, Opportunity DC, Capital Stonewall Democrats, the Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance, the JUFJ Campaign Fund, the Washington Teachers' Union, the Committee of 100, and the Ward 1 Democrats — plus candidate platforms, public forum and debate statements, and Council voting records where relevant. Sources vary by race. Where a candidate has not stated a position on a given issue, the tool says so explicitly rather than inferring one.
For each question you answer, your position is compared to each candidate's stated position. Closer matches earn more points; each issue is weighted by how important you marked it. Final scores are normalized to 0–100. The math gives every candidate a fair shake based on policy alignment, not name recognition. Each tool also surfaces specific critiques and open questions about every candidate's platform — drawn from opposing candidates, internal contradictions, and substantive policy concerns.
These tools are a starting point, not a verdict. Use them to think through your ranking. Read the alignment details, weigh the open questions, and trust your own judgment on what matters most. How you rank candidates on your actual ballot is entirely your decision.
A note on coverage: the Mayor, Delegate, and At-Large Council races appear on every D.C. Democratic ballot citywide; the Ward 1 tool covers that ward's open Council seat. Other ward Council races (Wards 3, 5, and 6 in 2026) also use ranked-choice voting under the new system; depending on where you live, your ballot may include one of those. The At-Large special election appears on every voter's ballot regardless of party.
/ Register to Vote
Register or update your registration with the D.C. Board of Elections by May 26, 2026. After that, same-day registration is available at any vote center with proof of D.C. residency.
/ How RCV Works
Rank up to five candidates per race. If your first choice is eliminated, your ballot transfers to your next ranked candidate. Ranking more candidates can only help, never hurt, your top choice.
/ Vote Early or by Mail
Early voting and mail-in ballots are available for every D.C. voter. Visit the D.C. Board of Elections for vote centers, deadlines, and to request a ballot.
About the author. This site was created by Byron LaMasters, a Washington, D.C.–based political consultant and Democratic strategist, with assistance from Claude AI — to help D.C. voters navigate the city's new ranked-choice voting system in the June 16, 2026 primary. The site is independent of any campaign or candidate.
Last updated: May 27, 2026 · Independent and unaffiliated · Built for D.C. voters