District voters will choose a new mayor on Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the first time in 12 years.

Mayor Muriel Bowser announced in November 2025 that she would not seek a fourth term, according to The Green Papers. The open seat drew three candidates to the general election ballot, and the winner will inherit a looming budget shortfall and unresolved questions about the city's relationship with the federal government.

Who is on the ballot

The DC Board of Elections candidate list shows three names printed on the mayoral ballot:

  • Janeese Lewis George, Democrat. A Ward 4 councilmember and third-generation Washingtonian, Lewis George won the June 16 Democratic primary, D.C.'s first election using ranked choice voting. Former councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, the second-leading candidate, conceded on June 18, The Eagle reported. She campaigns on "Homes For All," "Good Jobs For All" and "Childcare For All" platform pillars, according to a voter guide published by Voices for a Second Chance.
  • Rhonda Hamilton, Independent. Hamilton is a small business owner of more than 20 years and founder of the nonprofit I.'s Keep, a mental health advocacy organization, according to the Voices for a Second Chance voter guide.
  • Robert L. Gross, D.C. Statehood Green Party. Gross is a lifelong Washingtonian, IT professional and U.S. Air Force veteran. He runs on what he calls a "Human Life Standard" governance framework, according to the same voter guide.

Charles Breedlove registered as an independent write-in candidate on June 22. His name does not appear on the printed ballot.

What's at stake

The next mayor will face an estimated $650 million funding gap in fiscal year 2028, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has warned, according to WJLA. Without additional revenue, the District could face cuts to child care, health care, education and after-school programs.

The city's general sales tax is already scheduled to rise from 6% to 7% on Oct. 1, 2027, WJLA reported. Councilmembers have discussed additional taxes on certain business activities, investment income from high earners and expensive second homes, though none have been approved.

"I will not be taxing working families of the district and working people," Lewis George told WJLA. Hamilton questioned why the city would tax businesses "when we need to be bringing in more revenue." Gross said he does not plan to raise taxes.

Ranked choice voting

This is D.C.'s first general election using ranked choice voting, or RCV. Voters approved the system through Initiative 83 in November 2024 with about 73% support, according to FairVote. In any race with three or more candidates, voters may rank up to five choices. If no candidate tops 50% of first-choice votes, the last-place finisher is eliminated and those ballots shift to each voter's next-ranked pick. The process repeats until one candidate wins a majority.

When and where to vote

Polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registered voters can cast a ballot at any vote center in the city, regardless of home address, according to WTOP. Every voter in line at 8 p.m. may still vote, according to the DCBOE election calendar. Mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and sincerely received by Nov. 13.

The Board of Elections has tentatively scheduled certification of results for Wednesday, Dec. 2. Official results will be posted at dcboe.org.