Another Update on Ranked-Choice Voting in D.C.

By: Miriam Edelman

The D.C. Council voted again to fund the ranked-choice voting (RCV) part of Initiative 83. This post follow ups on DCNOW’s blog pieces, including “Initiative 83 is Law” and “Update on Ranked-Choice Voting in D.C.”

The D.C. Council continues to try to pay for the RCV section through the B26-0260 - Fiscal Year 2026 Local Budget Act of 2025 (D.C.’s budget). Councilmembers Wendell Felder and Anita Bonds unsuccessfully tried to delay RCV by offering an amendment funding a needs assessment for the D.C. Board of Elections, but the D.C. Council voted against that amendment. The D.C. Council also voted against an amendment of D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto that would have funded the Initiative 83’s part regarding semi-open primary elections. On July 28, 2025, the D.C. Council passed the budget by a vote of 11 Yes to one Present.

This second D.C. Council vote on D.C.’s budget does not mean that D.C. will use RCV. D.C.’s budget would have continue to proceed through the legislative process for RCV to be funded and thus to be implemented in D.C.

The District of Columbia need to implement RCV, which D.C. voters voted for last November.