DC Puts Mail Ballot Drop Boxes in Every Ward, Meeting a Standard Many States Don't

The District of Columbia placed mail ballot drop boxes in all eight wards for the June 2026 primary election, ensuring no voter lives more than a ward away from a secure return option. The Board of Elections made the geographic parity decision across wards spanning dense urban precincts, mixed-income corridors, and higher-income areas where mail ballot usage historically runs above the citywide average. Several U.S. states have not yet adopted this standard for mail ballot access.