WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Early voting begins in D.C. in just over a week on October 28, but as of Friday many who live in the District have already sent in their mail-in ballots for the general election.
As voters get ready to mark their ballots and return those mail-in ballots, one group is drawing attention to a question on D.C.’s ballot: Initiative 83.
People started dropping off their mail-in ballots on October 11 in the District and according to the D.C.’s Board Of Election as of Wednesday, about 32,000 mail-in ballots have been returned to the Board of Elections.
Just over 20,000 mail-in ballots were received by mail and about 12,000 were dropped off in ballot boxes.
This general election allows D.C. voters to cast their ballot for officials in several offices including the the Oval Office.
Also on the ballot is Initiative 83.
“It’s been great the last couple of years working on this effort to make our elections work for most of us, put the voters first and have the politicians work harder for us,” said Lisa Rice, the proposer of Ballot Initiative 83
Initiative 83 calls for opening D.C.’s primary elections to independent voters and for ranked-choice voting, allowing voters to rank up to five candidates according to their preference in each race for any office other than political party offices.
Rice also with the group “Make All Votes Count DC” said initiative 83 is a win-win for the people who live in the city and city leaders.
“We really feel that Our politicians will be more accountable to us, Accountable to the majority. When someone is sent into office with a small percentage win, I’m not sure that incents them to work for the majority,” said Rice. “And that is even better for the candidates because they’re doing into office and they have a mandate. Majority of voters want me in here,” she added.
The initiative 83 question is on the back of the mail-in ballot.
D.C. residents can drop off their mail-in ballot at any of the drop boxes all over the city until election day; November 5.
