Newsroom

Click here to sign up for OAG's newsletter.

We are in the home stretch toward Election Day on Tuesday, November 3rd! Whether you’re a first-time voter or ballot box regular, it’s important that every District resident make their voice heard this election. The key is to make a plan to vote—via mail or in person. Here are a few important reminders and resources to help you exercise your civic duty.

Important Dates in D.C.

• Oct. 13: Deadline to register to vote (Same-day registration information below)
• Oct. 27 – Nov. 2: Early voting
• Nov. 3: Election Day (mail-in ballots must be postmarked or dropped off at an approved location by this date)

Register to Vote / Check Voter RegistrationDistrict residents can check their voter registration online and register to vote online or by mail. The D.C. Board of Elections is also hosting several in-person registration events. Same-day registration is available during early voting and on Election Day, but you’ll need to bring proof of residency.

Consider Voting by Mail Safely, Securely, and Reliably All active voters will receive a mail-in ballot at their registered address for the November election. You can confirm your registered address here. Once you’ve filled out your mail-in ballot, you can return it by mail using the enclosed prepaid envelope, but it must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive no later than Nov. 13. You can also drop off your ballot at one of dozens of drop box locations before 8pm on Election Day or at one of the vote centers during early voting or Election Day. Residents can also track the status of their mail-in ballots online. Mail-in ballots will start to arrive during the first week of October, but if you do not receive a ballot by October 21, officials say you should plan to vote in person.

Review In-Person Vote Centers
If you don't plan to vote by mail, voters can find convenient early vote and Election Day vote centers online, which will be open from 8:30am to 7:00pm during early voting and from 7:00am to 8:00pm on Election Day. Registered voters can vote at any of the vote centers during early voting and on Election Day. This November’s election is projected to have historic voter turnout, so if you’re voting in person, vote early if you can!

Encourage Others to Vote
To help energize first-time voters, our last #Take30 virtual chat shared important election information about voting and the importance of youth voices in the 2020 election and beyond. Watch it on Facebook.

If you encounter a problem when voting, contact the national, nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to get help. Click here to read more resources and reminders in our new D.C. Voter Checklist blog. Make a plan to vote and raise your voice this November!

Karl A. Racine
Attorney General 

Improving Safety at 10 Public Housing Properties

In a big win for public safety, AG Racine announced this week that the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) must upgrade security at 10 public housing properties and fund violence interruption services. Under the settlement, DCHA will be required to implement a comprehensive security plan, perform frequent inspections and maintenance, engage with residents about crime and safety issues, provide $500,000 in funding for violence interruption, and make monthly compliance reports. OAG appreciates the seriousness with which DCHA addressed security concerns to reach a quick and just resolution of the June 2020 lawsuit. Learn your rights with free OAG tenant resources.

Ensuring Access to Critical Food Assistance

This week, AG Racine led a 22-state coalition in urging the Trump administration to remove bureaucratic barriers that threaten the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the pandemic. Waiving burdensome administrative requirements like requiring in-person interviews with SNAP recipients and delaying reporting deadlines will enable states to expedite critical food assistance to those in need, including 133,000 District residents. The coalition urges the USDA to follow the law and allow states the flexibility to ensure that vulnerable residents do not go hungry.

Protecting the Potomac

AG Racine recently joined Attorneys General from Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware in suing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to protect the Chesapeake Bay and local waters, including the Potomac River. The lawsuit seeks to force the EPA to do its job to protect decades of environmental work and billions of dollars invested, and ensure watershed states work together meet pollution reduction goals. Safeguarding the health of the Bay is impossible without everyone doing their part.

Stopping Housing Discrimination

To protect tenants in Wards 8 and 4 from discrimination, AG Racine filed suit against 7 real estate companies and professionals for denying housing and accommodation requests to residents based on disability, race and color, and source of income. OAG is collaborating with the D.C. Office of Human Rights on cases like these to enforce the District’s Human Rights Act, which offers some of the country’s strongest civil rights protections. Report discrimination of any kind to OAG by calling 202-727-3400, emailing OAGCivilRights@dc.gov, or submitting a tip online. You can also file a complaint with the D.C. Office of Human Rights.

CTS Spotlight: Timothy Doyle

“If I can touch two, three, or even just one person…then I know I did my job. I’m trying my best to make DC a murder free capital.” These are the inspiring words from Timothy Doyle, a Cure the Streets violence interrupter working in Ward 5’s Eckington and Truxton site. Read more about Timothy’s work to make D.C. safer and what motivates him to help his community in OAG’s latest Cure the Streets Spotlight.

Securing Debt Relief for Defrauded ITT Students

This week, AG Racine reached a $330 million multistate settlement with for-profit school ITT over its scheme to coerce low-income consumers into risky student loans. ITT targeted students they knew would be unable to pay, coerced them into accepting risky loans, and harassed them with expulsion if they did not accept the loan terms. District students will receive over $580,000 in debt relief as part of the settlement and do not need to take any action to receive this relief. Students may direct questions to PEAKS at customerservice@peaksloans.com or 866-747-0273, or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at (855) 411-2372.

Resource: Tenant Rights During COVID-19

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, millions of people nationwide are facing financial hardship and worried about the looming threat of eviction. Luckily, the District has emergency protections to help tenants. Check out OAG’s newest resource (in English and Spanish) with answers to common questions tenants have asked during this pandemic.