District of Columbia federal voting rights

Voting rights in District of Columbia
Demographics
Minimum voting age	18
Preregistration age	16
Felon voting status	No prohibition
Voter registration
Voter registration required	Yes
Online voter registration	Yes (since 2015)
Automatic voter registration	Yes (since 2018)
Same-day registration	Yes
Partisan affiliation	Yes
Voting process
In-person early-voting status	seven days prior
Postal ballot status	Yes (up to 15 days prior)
Straight-ticket device status	No
Election method	First-past-the-post (plurality)
Voter powers
Ballot question rights	initiative and veto referendum
Recall powers	For all local officials, except for the district delegate; incumbent may not be recalled during first and last years in office
Federal representation level	Territory-level

Politics of District of Columbia
The District of Columbia is a unique federal district of the U.S.
Governance Government Home rule Mayor Secretary United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Attorney General for the District of Columbia District of Columbia Court of Appeals (high court) Superior Court of the District of Columbia (trial court) Council (legislative body) Advisory Neighborhood Commission
Representation Voting rights Initiatives and referendums Congressional representation Shadow representation
Elections Elections Political party strength
Politics of the United States  Politics portal
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Voting rights of citizens in the District of Columbia differ from the rights of citizens in the 50 U.S. states. The United States Constitution grants each state voting representation in both houses of the United States Congress. It defines the federal district as being outside of any state, and does not grant it any voting representation in Congress. The Constitution grants Congress exclusive jurisdiction over the District in "all cases whatsoever".

In the House of Representatives, the District is represented by a delegate, who because of the constitutional provisions is not allowed to vote on the House floor but under House rules can vote on procedural matters and in congressional committees. D.C. residents have no representation in the Senate. The Twenty-third Amendment, adopted in 1961, effectively entitles the District to three^[a] electoral votes in the election of the president and vice president.

The District's lack of voting representation in Congress has been an issue since the capital's founding. Numerous proposals have been introduced to change this situation, including legislation and constitutional amendments, returning the district to Maryland, and making it into a new state. All proposals have been met with political or constitutional challenges, and there has been no change in the district's representation in Congress.
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