Voter Registration Name Change in District of Columbia
After you change your name, don't forget to update your District of Columbia voter registration. Here's how, and by when.
Official link
Update District of Columbia voter registrationHow to update your District of Columbia voter registration
A voter registration name change in District of Columbia is free and usually takes about five minutes. You can usually update online through the official District of Columbia voter registration page.
Update your registration after your District of Columbia driver's license shows your new name, since most registration forms ask for your current license number and the name on it.
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The motor-voter shortcut at the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV)
Under the National Voter Registration Act ("motor voter"), updating your license at the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV) usually offers to update your voter registration at the same time. Say yes and you may not need a separate step at all.
One warning: don't assume it worked. Confirmation can lag by weeks, and a mismatch between your ID and the poll book is exactly the kind of surprise you don't want on election day. Verify on the official District of Columbia page a couple of weeks after your DMV visit.
Deadlines to know
Online and mail voter registration updates (including name changes) must be received by DC Board of Elections no later than the 21st day before an election. After that deadline, updates can still be made in person during early voting or on Election Day at any Vote Center without proof-of-residence requirement for a name update. Update well ahead of any upcoming election so your registration reflects your new name at the polls.
If an election is close and you've missed the update window, call your county election office. In many places you can still vote under your former name with your current registration, and some states offer same-day corrections. The rules vary, so ask before you skip voting.
What you'll need
- Your District of Columbia driver's license or state ID (ideally already showing your new name)
- Your current residential address
- The last four digits of your Social Security number (some forms)
There is no fee to update voter registration in any state. This step is also a good prompt to update your name with your county property records and jury-duty notices, which pull from the same rolls.
District of Columbia FAQs
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