Statehood for the District of Columbia

Why it Matters

Since 1801, the residents of the District of Columbia have had no representation in Congress.  Nor have they been able to govern themselves without interference from Congress.  District residents are required to fulfill all the obligations of U.S. citizenship—paying taxes, voting, and serving on juries and in the military ... but are denied a voice in our national government and sovereignty over state and local affairs. The people of Washington, D.C. deserve the same rights that the people in the 50 states enjoy.And in November 2016, DC citizens voted overwhelming in favor of petitioning Congress for statehood - the first step in the statehood process.

It’s time to explain to contacts all over the country about what happens to DC because we are not a state. Get more comfortable talking about it to friends, family, the person sitting next to you on the plane....

Use these factsheets:
DC Statehood Factsheet
10 Things to Know About Statehood

Watch our video on DC Statehood - Click DC Statehood 101 - March 21, 2024

Anne Anderson, Chair of our Full Rights Committee, walks us through our key talking points and discuss how to answer the usual questions people ask when they hear about DC statehood.  For more info:  Anne Anderson, statehood@lwvdc.org.