The D.C. Council is voting tomorrow, Tuesday, December 16, on a last-minute attempt to delay the implementation of ranked choice voting (RCV), despite the fact that nearly 73% of DC voters approved it last year. Here's what you need to know.
RepresentWomen urges the Council of the District of Columbia to uphold the clear will of the voters today and move forward with the on-time implementation of ranked choice voting (RCV) for the 2026 elections.
In November 2024, Washingtonians supported Initiative 83 with nearly 73% of the vote citywide, with strong majorities in every ward. Earlier this year, the Council reaffirmed that mandate in an 8-4 vote to fully fund implementation. Voters spoke clearly. The Council acted decisively, and the Board of Elections has repeatedly affirmed that it is prepared to deliver a smooth, timely rollout.
At a moment when voter trust is essential, delaying implementation would undermine both public confidence and the democratic commitments the District has already made.
“With nearly 73% of D.C. voters supporting ranked choice voting, the people have spoken decisively, and we must honor that mandate,” said Cynthia Richie Terrell, Executive Director of RepresentWomen. “Ranked choice voting isn’t just a technical change — it’s a proven reform that strengthens voter choice, reduces barriers to participation, and opens the field for more diverse leadership. Decades of evidence show that ranked choice voting creates more opportunities for women and candidates of color by reducing vote-splitting and encouraging more positive, issue-focused campaigns. RepresentWomen stands firmly behind the on-time implementation of ranked choice voting as approved by voters and funded by the Council.”
The DC Board of Elections has already begun implementing its comprehensive plan — designing ballots, preparing multilingual voter education materials, and leveraging partnerships with community organizations and District agencies. At a November oversight roundtable, BOE Executive Director Monica Evans made the agency’s readiness clear: “We can stand [ranked choice voting] up and it can be on the June ballot… We can absolutely roll out a voter education outreach campaign.”
Candidates across the city have already launched their 2026 campaigns based on the rules approved by voters and funded by the Council. Reversing course now would introduce unnecessary confusion and instability, not only for campaigns but also for voters, who expect their government to follow through on the commitments it has made.
Ranked choice voting is tested and proven. Numerous cities and states across the country have implemented ranked choice voting successfully, a trend well-documented by FairVote in its national tracking of ranked choice voting’s growth and performance. These communities have shown that there is a clear playbook for strong voter education and effective election administration, and voters consistently report finding ranked choice voting simple and easy to understand once they use it. Importantly, ranked choice voting elections have produced more diverse candidate fields and more representative outcomes, especially for women and communities of color — benefits that align with D.C.’s longstanding commitment to access and inclusion.
Ranked choice voting also ensures that elected leaders earn majority support, something voters expect but that our current system doesn’t always guarantee. When winners are chosen with broad backing, it strengthens their mandate and leads to more stable, effective policymaking. It is no surprise that DC voters delivered such a decisive majority for RCV: they want a system that produces majority winners and reflects the preferences of most voters, not just a narrow slice of the electorate.
Above all, honoring the will of the voters is the cornerstone of democratic legitimacy. Nearly three-quarters of D.C. residents made their choice clear. The Council confirmed that choice. The Board of Elections is prepared to carry it out. The path forward is not complicated: it simply requires keeping the promise made to the people of the District.
RepresentWomen calls on the Council to respect the overwhelming mandate delivered by voters, protect the trust that underpins our democratic institutions, and ensure that ranked choice voting is implemented on time for the 2026 elections. The District is ready. The voters are ready. And now, the Council must move forward.
We will continue to follow developments closely and provide updates as they become available.