WIN Votes 2026
The June 16 DC primary will be one of the most consequential elections this city has seen in a generation. Washington Interfaith Network — 45 member institutions representing 25,000 families across all 8 Wards — is organizing to make sure our communities are informed, engaged, and showing up.
May 17th Candidates Forum
WIN is organizing a districtwide forum where mayoral and local candidates must respond to OUR agenda in front of 1,000+ organized DC residents. This is where our collective power becomes visible. We need every member institution to commit to showing up.
Election Season Timeline
From February through June, here is how WIN is organizing — and how your institution can engage at every stage.
| Month | Focus |
|---|---|
| February | WIN issue campaign training; relationship building through listening and community engagement |
| March–April | Voter engagement and Ranked Choice Voting education; alignment on final WIN Issue Agenda |
| May | Finalize turnout commitments; WIN Districtwide Candidates Forum — May 17th |
| June | Democratic Primary — June 16th |
Our 2026 Issue Agenda
WIN’s issue agenda is built from listening to hundreds of DC residents across all 8 Wards. These are the demands we will bring to candidates on May 17th.
Affordable Housing & Public Land Use
Create significant new affordable housing stock and ensure development on public land delivers community benefits commensurate with the public investment.
Collective Care & Mutual Aid
Organize member institutions to stand alongside migrant neighbors, unhoused neighbors, and Black youth who are disproportionately targeted by the state.
Healthy Housing
Fund the Sustainable Energy Trust Fund, pass Clean Heat legislation, and redirect ratepayer investment away from Washington Gas’s pipeline replacement plan.
Homelessness
Build genuine, consistent support for unhoused residents grounded in what this community is asking for — including access to ID and rapid response from faith institutions.
Public Safety & Violence Prevention
Fund violence interrupters, create job opportunities, invest in youth recreation, and expand evidence-based behavioral health services.
Black Equity Through Homeownership (BETH)
Black and legacy homeowners across DC face deteriorating homes, vacant neighboring properties, and shrinking pathways to affordable homeownership. WIN is working to implement the Healthy Homes Act for legacy homeowners, build on the Vacant to Vibrant Act to convert abandoned properties into homeownership opportunities, and protect legal heirs of properties left vacant through intergenerational transfer.
Host a Listening Session
A listening session — or house meeting — is one of WIN’s most powerful organizing tools. It is how we surface what our communities are experiencing, develop leaders, and build the collective agenda we will bring to candidates on May 17th. Sessions run 45–75 minutes and work best with 10–20 people.
Open: Credential and Frame
Introduce yourself, share your story, introduce WIN, and name the urgency of this moment. Frame the 2026 election cycle and mention the May 17th Candidates Forum.
Introductions and Rounds
Ask everyone to introduce themselves and answer a rounds question. Give people 1–2 minutes each. Model it yourself first — include a personal detail or quick anecdote to encourage others to share.
Move from Stories to Power
Get people to share the personal side of why they care. Move the conversation from problems to issues and demands. Connect individual stories to organized power.
Close with Key Asks
Name the next step: show up on May 17th. Ask who else needs to be in the room. Set a turnout goal for your institution.
Ranked Choice Voting Education
This is the first DC primary to use ranked choice voting. WIN is helping member institutions share this information with their communities. Use the resources below — produced by the DC Board of Elections — to educate the people in your network.
Downloads
Key materials for the 2026 organizing season. The full organizing packet will be available here soon.
WIN Organizing Materials
PDF WIN Election Platform 2026 WIN’s full issue agenda for the June primary PDF Election Season Timeline + FAQ How WIN is organizing from February through June — and how to plug in PDF Listening + Relational Engagement Session Guide How to run a listening session or house meetingVoter Education Tools — Share With Your Community
PDF Ranked Choice Voting Palm Card DC Board of Elections — Quick reference guide to RCV PDF Ranked Choice Voting FAQs DC Board of Elections — Detailed answers to common RCV questions PDF DC Primary Vote Centers DC Board of Elections — Full list of early voting and Election Day locations by wardAdditional Resources: As the primary season develops, new materials will be added here — including candidate information, forum details, and turnout tools. Sign up for WIN’s mailing list at windc.org/signup to get updates delivered directly.
Questions about WIN’s 2026 organizing?
Contact us at [email protected] or reach out to your WIN staff organizer directly.