The District’s election night numbers are preliminary, and the count is not finished. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day are still arriving, and the D.C. Board of Elections says final results are not known until every eligible ballot is counted.
Under the board’s ranked choice voting FAQ, mail-in ballots are accepted up to 10 days after an election if they are postmarked by Election Day. For the Nov. 3 general election, that puts the last day for ballots to arrive at Friday, Nov. 13. The board’s primary voter guide used the same 10-day window, which ran through June 26 for the June 16 primary.
What that means for the numbers you see
The board has said it releases interim results on election night that reflect in-person votes and mail-in ballots processed before Election Day. Later updates add ballots as they are received and processed. Totals can therefore move, particularly in close races, until the count is complete.
News organizations have projected winners in the biggest races, including mayor, where the Associated Press projected Janeese Lewis George as the winner, according to FOX 5 DC. A projection is not certification. Certification is the board’s formal step after ballots are received and processed.
Ranked choice in the general election
Ranked choice voting applies in D.C. contests with three or more candidates. If no candidate has a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest candidate is eliminated and those ballots move to each voter’s next choice, round by round. The board’s FAQ describes a different process for the two at-large Council seats, where rounds continue until two candidates remain, and both are declared winners.
Where to check
Official updates and results are posted on the D.C. Board of Elections website at dcboe.org. The Board of Elections has not yet posted a certification date in the sources reviewed for this report, so check the site for the schedule.
