Midterm elections 2022: Voting in D.C.

District voters in November will select two citywide council members and resolve whether or not to lift the minimal wage for tipped staff.

Why it issues: The at-large D.C. Council race is important for the council’s ideological make-up, and the Initiative 82 vote marks the second time in 4 years that voters will take into account the tipped wage, after the D.C. Council overturned a profitable initiative.

🗳 vote within the District:

Polls are open 8:30am–7pm through the early voting interval and 7am–8pm on Election Day. Similar-day registration is out there.

• Registered voters don’t want to point out ID or proof of residence with the intention to vote.
• If the polling place closes when you’re already in line, you’re nonetheless capable of vote.

🥊 D.C. Council at-large race

The at-large race is essentially the most aggressive race on the poll. Voters will decide two winners out of a area of eight. The present at-large workplace holders are Democrat Anita Bonds and impartial Elissa Silverman.

• A 3rd sitting council member, Ward 5’s Kenyan McDuffie, is working as an impartial, primarily competing towards Silverman. McDuffie is seen as extra of a reasonable on financial points and has made wealth-building for Black Washingtonians a cornerstone of his marketing campaign. Silverman is a progressive stalwart and has championed landmark laws resembling paid go away.
• The remainder of the sphere consists of Karim Marshall (I), Fred Hill (I), David Schwartzman (D.C. Statehood Inexperienced), Graham McLaughlin (I), and Giuseppe Niosi (R).

Go deeper: Learn Axios D.C.’s full voter information for the At-large Council race.

🍽 Initiative 82

For the second time in roughly 4 years, D.C. voters will decide how tipped staff receives a commission, this time by way of the Initiative 82 poll measure.

The initiative would require employers to pay D.C.’s $16.10 minimal wage to tipped staff no matter how a lot they earn in suggestions. 

• Presently, employers pays lower than minimal wage so long as every worker makes sufficient in tricks to meet or exceed $16.10 an hour.

What they’re saying: Some servers need the established order as a result of they make effectively past $16.10 an hour and fear that diners will cease tipping if issues change.

These in favor of the initiative argue it might assist to erase disparities confronted by typically marginalized back-of-house restaurant workers who normally make a lot lower than their front-of-house friends.

Go deeper: Learn the total story for our full Initiative 82 breakdown.