First: make sure you're registered

Check your registration status at dcboe.org. To vote in the Democratic primary, you must be registered as a Democrat — Independents cannot vote in the party's primary. If you've never registered in DC, you can register and choose your party in person during early voting or on Election Day itself — just bring proof of DC residency. But note: same-day registration only lets first-time voters pick a party. If you're already registered under a different affiliation, you can't switch it on site.

Both U.S. citizens and non-citizens can register and vote in DC.

Two ways to vote

By mail/dropbox. You should have already received a ballot. Complete it, sign it, and either mail it back (postage is included — it must be postmarked by June 16) or drop it in any official DC drop box by 8pm on June 16. Track your ballot at votedc.ballottrax.net.

On Election Day. Polls are open June 16 from 7:00am to 8:00pm. Again, any Vote Center in DC works — you're not tied to a specific location. Find them at dcboe.org. Ward 1 locations:

• Columbia Heights Education Campus

  • 3101 16th Street NW

• Marie Reed Elementary School

  • 2201 18th Street NW

• H.D. Cooke Elementary School

  • 2525 17th Street NW

• Bancroft Elementary School

  • 1755 Newton Street NW

• Columbia Heights Community Center

  • 1480 Girard Street NW

• Prince Hall Center (Masonic Temple)

  • 1000 U Street NW

How ranked-choice voting works

This is DC's first primary using ranked-choice voting — a reform Miguel helped win. Instead of picking just one candidate, you rank up to five in order of preference.

If no candidate wins a majority in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and those ballots move to each voter's next choice. The process repeats until someone breaks 50%.

Rank Miguel #1. You're free to rank other candidates 2nd, 3rd, and so on — your backup choices only come into play if your higher picks are eliminated. Ranking others does not hurt Miguel.

You can practice using a sample ballot and learn more about the system at Rank the District, a local initiative dedicated to educating voters on ranked-choice voting.

Questions?

Call the DC Board of Elections at 202-727-2525 or visit dcboe.org. For questions related to ranked-choice voting, visit rankthedistrict.org.

Help spread the word

The most powerful thing between now and June 16 is a conversation with a neighbor. Volunteer with the campaign and help us make sure every Ward 1 voter knows what's at stake.