DC Social Workers: Prepare to cast your vote!
2024 General Election: November 5
Voting is one of the most powerful ways to advocate for social work and your clients. NASW and NASW Metro DC offer resources and online training to help you get out the vote in your community.
Calling it a “fundamental right,” NASW outlines in Social Work Speaks (its approved policy guide book) that it opposes voter suppression such as
- implementation of what could be considered “poll taxes,”
- purging voter registration rolls of “ineligible voters” in ways that disproportionately impact minority and vulnerable populations;
- disenfranchising for life those people convicted of a felony (both those who are imprisoned and those who have served their time),
- burdensome voter identification laws,
- intentional limits on voting access sites or narrow early-voting periods, and
- voter fraud misinformation (Voting in the United States is actually very secure and safe.)
In addition, the NASW Code of Ethics requires social workers to advocate for social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed people (NASW, 2017). This includes supporting education of marginalized populations about their rights as eligible voters and U.S. citizens.
The District of Columbia Board of Elections website and its FAQs section serve as clearinghouses for all things related to DC voting, but here are some helpful voter links and important deadline dates in the District:
November 5: General Election
Key dates at a glance:
IMPORTANT: Sign and date the Voter’s Oath on the back of the Return Ballot Envelope. You MUST sign the Voter’s Oath in order for your vote to count! The board will contact you if there is an issue with your signature.
Key information to ensure your vote COUNTS:
- First, always CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS AND INFORMATION.
- How you can still register to vote after the October 15 deadline: Voters may register after the October 15 deadline through and on Election Day but must complete a voter registration application, swear or affirm that you’re qualified to vote, and have valid proof of residence before using a provisional ballot.
- How you request a mail ballot if you expect to be away from your residence and unable to receive your ballot: Mail Ballot Request Form
- How you complete your mail ballot: Mail ballot completion instructions
- What you do if you make a mistake on or lose your ballot: Contact the Board of Elections IMMEDIATELY at 1-866-DCVOTES (1-866-328-6837) to discuss options.
- Where you can drop off your mail ballot: 55 dropbox locations
- How the voting process works in DC: All registered DC voters will be sent a ballot in the mail. To ensure that you receive your mail-in ballot at the correct address, it is critical that you CHECK and UPDATE (if necessary) your voter registration.
- What to do if you’re out of town and unable to receive your ballot: You must request a mail-in ballot here if you will not be home to receive the original ballot. Deadline is October 21. Instructions on how to vote and return your ballot will be included with your ballot. Your voted and mailed ballot must be postmarked or otherwise demonstrated to have been sent on or before Election Day and must arrive no later than November 15 at 5 p.m. ET.
- Where you can track the status of your mail ballot: mail ballot tracking. If you are concerned that you may not be able to receive or cast your ballot in time for it to be counted, please contact the D.C. Board of Elections at 202-727-2525.
- What forms of identification are considered valid to prove residency prior to voting (Social work students: A tuition or housing bill from a DC college or university issued for the current academic or housing term is permissible.)
- First-time DC voters who are returning a mail-in ballot have separate instructions to ensure their votes count. Read them here.
- What to do if you have a disability: Read about accessible voting and language access here.
This is a great day to check that your voter registration is up to date and to ask family and friends to check theirs. Every year, millions of Americans find themselves unable to vote because they miss a registration deadline, don’t update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register. National Voter Registration Day was created to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to vote.
NASW and its partner, Voting Is Social Work, have also united with Vot-ER, a nonpartisan civic engagement initiative inspired by a social worker and designed to “make voter registration fast and easy in healthcare and all the settings where social workers practice and live. Vot-ER knows that for decades social work has been out in front doing the hard work of voter registration.”
4 Actions to Ensure Your Vote Is Counted
1. Check your registration and update any outdated information by October 15.
2. Make a voting plan. Decide exactly how, when, and where you will vote and then track your ballot (see above).
3. Voting early is easy and convenient. DC has an eight-day period to cast your vote at any local site during business hours, including over the weekend prior to Election Day.
4. DC offers a variety of acceptable forms of voting identification, including voter confirmation documents, current utility bills and banking statements (within 12 months of age), driver’s licenses, Department of Motor Vehicles-issued IDs, passports, college- and university- issued student identifications, and more! Make sure you take several forms of valid, current identification with you as backup.
Still have voting questions? No worries.Visit the Election Board’s FAQ page for answers.
In addition to NASW’s voter engagement information, NASW Metro DC supports voting through the national Voting Is Social Work! campaign. Here are some tips to help you get involved:
1. Take the “pledge to participate” at www.votingissocialwork.org.
2. Tap into resources that Voting is Social Work offers. To access online resources, click here.
3. Join the Facebook Group, National Social Worker Voter Mobilization Group, for updates and idea exchanges about Voting Is Social Work! activities.
4. Check out these voter tool kits:
