This month, the Washington, DC Board of Elections approved Initiative 83 to appear on the November ballot, determining that organizers had surpassed the number of signatures required from across the city. If it passes, the initiative would bring ranked choice voting (RCV) to DC’s elections, and let independents vote in the taxpayer-funded primary of their choice.

Ranked choice voting would ensure candidates win DC elections with majority support from voters. That would make a big difference for the city, which has a long history of crowded elections and “vote-splitting.”

Just this year, the Democratic primary in Ward 7 drew a whopping 10 candidates, and the winner earned just 23% of the vote! Since the Democratic primary winner is all but certain to win the general election, this means just a fraction of a fraction of the electorate picked the representative for the whole ward. 

We’ve seen similar plurality wins from both parties, in all parts of the country. For instance, in Missouri last week, four statewide GOP primaries were won by candidates without majority support – and those nominees are all but certain to win their general elections, too.

Washington, DC’s lack of statehood means DC residents are denied voting representation in Congress. Instead, DC elects one “non-voting” delegate to the House, who can serve on committees and participate in debates, but cannot vote on the House floor. This is especially problematic considering that 43.5% of DC residents are African American, a group that has been historically underrepresented.

Bringing ranked choice voting to DC would strengthen residents’ political influence. Although Initiative 83 would not solve DC’s lack of representation in Congress, it’s a step toward fair representation for DC residents. Follow Make All Votes Count DC for the latest updates on Initiative 83!