The Non-Voting Delegate & DC Statehood
What is DC's non-voting delegate?
DC is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by a non-voting delegate. The delegate can:
- Speak on the House floor
- Introduce legislation
- Serve on committees (and vote in committee)
- Advocate for DC's interests
But the delegate cannot vote on final passage of legislation. DC has no senators.
This means approximately 700,000 DC residents — more than the populations of Wyoming or Vermont — pay full federal income taxes and serve in the military with no voting representation in the body that controls federal law and DC's budget.
DC Statehood
DC statehood would give the District two U.S. senators and a voting representative in the House. Nearly every candidate in the 2026 delegate race supports statehood as a goal, though they differ on strategy and emphasis.
DC statehood requires an act of Congress — a simple majority in the House and Senate, plus the president's signature. The DC statehood bill has passed the House twice (in 2020 and 2021) but has never received a Senate vote.
Alternative proposals
One candidate (Greg Jaczko) has proposed exempting DC residents from federal income taxes as an alternative path to justice — modeled on the treatment of residents of U.S. territories like Puerto Rico. Critics argue this sidesteps the core question of democratic representation.
Congressional oversight of DC
Congress has constitutional authority over DC under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. This means Congress can override DC laws and intervene in DC's budget — a power that has been exercised with increasing frequency under the Trump administration.