Section 1-1001.10 - Dates for holding elections; votes cast for President and Vice President counted as votes for presidential electors; voting hours; tie votes; filling vacancy where elected official dies, resigns, or becomes unable to serve(a)(1) The elections of the officials referred to in § 1-1001.01(1), (2), (3), or (4) shall be held, at the request of the party, during a primary election already scheduled for other purposes on the date requested; provided, that it does not interfere or conflict with applicable national party rules. The primary under § 1-1001.05(b) shall be held on the 1st Tuesday in June of each presidential election year.(2) The electors of President and Vice President of the United States shall be elected on the Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November in every 4th year succeeding every election of a President and Vice President of the United States. Each vote cast for a candidate for President or Vice President whose name appears on the general election ballot shall be counted as a vote cast for the candidates for presidential electors of the party supporting such presidential and vice presidential candidate. Candidates receiving the highest number of votes in such election shall be declared the winners, except that in the case of a tie it shall be resolved in the same manner as is provided in subsection (c) of this section.(3)(A) Except as otherwise provided in the case of special elections under this subchapter or § 206(a) of the District of Columbia Delegate Act, primary elections of each political party for the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives shall be held on the 1st Tuesday in June in a presidential election year and on the 3rd Tuesday in June of each even-numbered non-presidential election year, and general elections for such office shall be held on the Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November of each even-numbered year.(B) Except as otherwise provided in the case of special elections under this subchapter primary elections of each political party for the office of member of the Council shall be held on the 1st Tuesday in June in a presidential election year and on the 3rd Tuesday in June of each even-numbered non-presidential election year, and general election for such offices shall be held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November in 1974 and every 2nd year thereafter.(C) Except as otherwise provided in the case of a special election under this subchapter or by § 1-204.35(b), primary elections of each political party for the office of Chairman of the Council, Mayor and Attorney General shall be held on the 3rd Tuesday in June of 2018 and every 4th year thereafter, and the general election for such office shall be held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November in 1974 and every 4th year thereafter.(4) With respect to special elections required or authorized by this subchapter or by § 1-204.35(b), the Board may establish the dates on which such special elections are to be held and prescribe such other terms and conditions as may, in the Board's opinion, be necessary or appropriate for the conduct of such elections in a manner comparable to that prescribed for other elections held pursuant to this subchapter.(5) General elections of members of the State Board of Education shall be held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November of each odd-numbered calendar year through 1987, and thereafter in each even-numbered calendar year, on the same day and month.(b)(1)In all elections held pursuant to this act, the polls shall be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on election day, except in instances when the time established for closing the polls is extended pursuant to a federal or District court order or any other order. The Board shall also establish hours for early voting. The Board may, upon request of the site coordinator or upon its own initiative, if an emergency exists by reason of mechanical failure of a voting machine, an unanticipated shortage of ballots, excessive wait times, bomb threats, or a similar unforeseen event warrants, extend the hours for that Vote Center until the emergency has been resolved. Candidates who receive the highest number of votes, other than candidates for election as political party officials or delegates to national conventions nominating candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, shall be declared winners. If after the date of an election and prior to the certification of the election results, the qualified candidate who has received the highest number of votes dies, withdraws, or is found to be ineligible to hold the office, or in the event no candidate qualifies for election, the Board shall declare no winner, and the office shall become vacant as of the date of the beginning of the term of office for which the election was held. With respect to a primary election, the position of candidate shall be vacant until filled pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.(2)(A) No person shall canvass, electioneer, circulate petitions, post any campaign material or engage in any activity that interferes with the orderly conduct of the election within a Vote Center or within a 50-foot distance from the entrance and exit of a Vote Center. The Board, by regulation, shall establish procedures for determination and clear marking of the 50-foot distance.(B) A person who violates the provisions of this paragraph shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than $50 or more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days, or both.(c) In the case of a tie vote, the resolution of which will affect the outcome of any election, the candidates receiving the tie vote shall cast lots before the Board at 12:00 noon on a date to be set by the Board. This date shall be set no sooner than 2 days following determination by the Board of the results of the election which resulted in a tie. The candidate to whom the lot shall fall shall be declared the winner. If the candidate or candidates fail to appear by 12:00 noon on said day, the Board shall cast lots for the candidate or candidates. For purpose of casting lots, any candidate may appear in person, or by proxy appointed in writing.(d)(1) In the event that any official, other than Delegate, member of the Council, Mayor, Attorney General, member of the State Board of Education, or winner of a primary election for the office of Delegate, member of the Council, Mayor, or Attorney General, elected pursuant to this subchapter dies, resigns, or becomes unable to serve during the official's term of office leaving no person elected pursuant to this subchapter to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of office, the successor or successors to serve the remainder of the term shall be chosen pursuant to the rules of the duly authorized party committee, except that the successor shall have the qualifications required by this subchapter for the office.(2)(A) In the event that a vacancy occurs in the office of Delegate before May 1 of the last year of the Delegate's term of office, the Board shall hold a special election to fill the unexpired term. The special election shall be held on the Tuesday occurring at least 70 days and not more than 174 days after the date on which the vacancy occurs which the Board determines, based on a totality of the circumstances, taking into account, inter alia, cultural and religious holidays and the administrability of the election, will provide the opportunity for the greatest level of voter participation. The person elected to fill the vacancy in the office of Delegate shall take office the day on which the Board certifies the person's election.(B) In the event that a vacancy occurs in the office of Delegate on or after May 1 of the last year of the Delegate's term of office, the Mayor shall appoint a successor to complete the remainder of the term of office.(3) In the event of a vacancy in the office of United States Representative or United States Senator elected pursuant to § 1-123 and that vacancy cannot be filled pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Mayor shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Council, a successor to complete the remainder of the term of office.(e)(1) In the event of a vacancy of an elected member of the State Board of Education, the Board of Elections shall hold a special election to fill the unexpired term of the vacant office. The special election shall be held on the Tuesday occurring at least 70 days and not more than 174 days after the date on which the vacancy occurs which the Board determines, based on a totality of the circumstances, taking into account, inter alia, cultural and religious holidays and the administrability of the election, will provide the opportunity for the greatest level of voter participation. The person elected as a member to fill a vacancy on the State Board of Education shall take office the day on which the Board of Elections certifies the person's election.(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, if a vacancy of an elected member of the State Board of Education occurs on or after February 1st of the last year of the term of the vacant office, a special election shall not be held and the State Board of Education may appoint a person to fill such vacancy until the unexpired term ends. Any person appointed under this subsection shall have the same qualifications for holding such office as were required of the person's immediate predecessor.(g) A vacancy among the appointed Board members shall be filled within 45 days of its occurrence. The Mayor shall submit a nominee to the Council for confirmation within 30 days of the vacancy. Any Board member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve until the end of the original term.Amended by D.C. Law 24-342,§ 3, 69 DCR 014609, eff. 4/6/2023.Amended by D.C. Law 23-192,§ 2, 68 DCR 003407, eff. 3/16/2021.Aug. 12, 1955, 69 Stat. 702, ch. 862, § 10; Oct. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 819, Pub. L. 87-389, § 1 (18, 19, 20); Apr. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 105, Pub. L. 90-292, § 4(7); Sept. 22, 1970, 84 Stat. 850, Pub. L. 91-405, title II, §§ 203(c), title II, 205 (e)(2); Dec. 23, 1971, 85 Stat. 792, Pub. L. 92-220, § 1 (18)-(21); Aug. 14, 1973, 87 Stat. 313, Pub. L. 93-92, § 1 (16)-(19); Dec. 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 834, Pub. L. 93-198, title VII, § 751(4) -(8); Aug. 29, 1974, 88 Stat. 794, Pub. L. 93-395, § 3(a); Sept. 2, 1976, D.C. Law 1-79, title V, § 504, 23 DCR 2050; Apr. 23, 1977, D.C. Law 1-126, title II, § 201, title IV, § 402, 24 DCR 2372; Aug. 18, 1978, D.C. Law 2-101, § 2, 25 DCR 257; Mar. 16, 1982, D.C. Law 4-88, § 2(h), (n)-(q), (s), 29 DCR 458; Sept. 26, 1984, D.C. Law 5-116, § 5, 31 DCR 4018; Mar. 16, 1988, D.C. Law 7-92, § 3(m), 35 DCR 716; Dec. 10, 1991, D.C. Law 9-49, § 2(b), 38 DCR 6572; Sept. 22, 1994, D.C. Law 10-173, § 2(e), 41 DCR 5154; July 18, 2000, D.C. Law 13-149, § 5(b), 47 DCR 4639; June 21, 2003, D.C. Law 15-18, § 2(b), 50 DCR 3389; Dec. 7, 2004, D.C. Law 15-218, § 2(e), 51 DCR 9132; Oct. 18, 2007, D.C. Law 17-26, § 2(c), 54 DCR 8018; Mar. 25, 2009, D.C. Law 17-353, § 218, 56 DCR 1117; Feb. 4, 2010, D.C. Law 18-103, § 2(h), 56 DCR 9169; June 16, 2011, D.C. Law 19-7, § 2(b), 58 DCR 3882; Apr. 27, 2012, D.C. Law 19-124, § 501(g)(5), 59 DCR 1862; Dec. 13, 2013, D.C. Law 20-60, § 301(b), 60 DCR 15487; Dec. 17, 2014, D.C. Law 20-144, § 2, 61 DCR 8059; Mar. 3, 2015, D.C. Law 20-167, § 2(d), 61 DCR 10738; May 2, 2015, D.C. Law 20-273, § 2(f), 62 DCR 1938; Aug. 19, 2017, D.C. Law 22-13, § 2(c), 64 DCR 6245; Dec. 24, 2019, D.C. Law 23-36, § 2(c), 66 DCR 14304.Section 2(c)(2)(C) of D.C. Law 22-13 purported to strike language changed by D.C. Law 20-273 after it was included in an approved budget and financial plan. The amendment made by D.C. Law 22-13 has been given effect as if the amendment made by D.C. Law 20-273 had not been given effect.
Section 7018 of D.C. Law 21-160 repealed § 5 of D.C. Law 20-273. Therefore the changes made to this section by D.C. Law 20-273 have been given effect.
Voting accessibility for the elderly and handicapped: Public Law 98-435 enacted the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act.
Section 3(b) of D.C. Law 17-156 amended this section subject to congressional enactment of section 2 of D.C. Law 17-156. As of the publication of this note, congress has not enacted section 2 of D.C. Law 17-156.
Applicability of D.C. Law 20-60: Section 401(b) of 20-60 provided that § 301 of the act shall apply as of December 13, 2013.
Applicability of D.C. Law 20-273: Section 5 of D.C. Law 20-273 provided (a) that the act shall apply upon the date of inclusions of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan; (b) that the Chief Financial Officer shall certify the date of the inclusion of the fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, and provide notice to the Budget Director of the Council of the certification; and (c) that the Budget Director shall cause the notice of the certification to be published in the District of Columbia Register and that the date of publication of the notice of the certification shall not affect the applicability of the act.
The Budget Director of the Council of the District of Columbia has determined that the fiscal effect of D.C. Law 20-273 has been included in an approved budget and financial plan.
Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, elections, see § 1-309.05 et seq. Recall of elected public officials, filling of vacancies, see § 1-204.114. .