Historic D.C. election meets ranked-choice voting

Tuesday's election will be like none other in city history.

Why it matters: The ballot feels like a super deluxe edition — open seats for mayor and D.C. delegate will do that, plus there's a dizzying array of council candidates.

On top of that, it's a crash course in ranked-choice voting.

The big picture: Officials warn that the math required to determine winners in multiple-round, ranked-choice voting tabulations may stretch over several days.

So it'll be a long night. Or several.

The wait is spawning some late jitters even for ranked-choice voting's most enthusiastic promoters.

Asked whether she still supports ranked choice, Janeese Lewis George told reporters last week, "Everybody's just a little nervous about how long it will take."

D.C.'s first foray into ranked choice was championed by progressives whom Lewis George hopes carry her over the line against Kenyan McDuffie.

How it works: After polls close Tuesday at 8pm, all in-person votes (early votes and election-day votes) will be reported in waves, along with mail-in ballots processed days prior.

Only first-choice results will be reported Tuesday night, says the D.C. Board of Elections.

With five other Democrats also vying for the mayoral nomination, it's likely that neither Lewis George nor McDuffie will clear the bar of 50% plus one vote in the first round of vote counting.

A candidate winning a majority will likely require "round-by-round tabulation," the Board of Elections says, potentially stretching into next week.

For results, see the Board of Elections website.

By the numbers: As of Sunday, nearly 59,600 votes had been cast.

Zoom in: Election-day vote centers are open Tuesday from 7am to 8pm.

You can register Tuesday and use any polling station to cast your ballot.

Between the lines: Several candidates in D.C. Council races are using ranked choice to forge alliances, urging voters to consider ranking multiple candidates with similar viewpoints.

No such alliance was formed in the bitter mayor's race, which, by the way, you can study up on with our voter guide.

The bottom line: Ballot counting may take a while, but D.C. will witness generational change by the end of this election cycle, with a new mayor, a new delegate to Congress, and potentially a handful of new council members.