District of Columbia Congressional Delegation: 1 Delegate
Embed this widgetLast updated: 2026-09-07
House Delegation
1
U.S. Delegate (non-voting)
1 Democrat
Senate Representation
None
District of Columbia does not hold any U.S. Senate seats. Only the 50 states elect Senators.
About District of Columbia's Congressional Representation
The District of Columbia is not a state and therefore has no voting representation in Congress. Residents elect one non-voting Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, who can speak on the floor, introduce legislation, and vote in committee but cannot cast a vote on final passage of bills. D.C. has no U.S. Senators. The push for D.C. statehood — which would grant full congressional representation — has been a recurring debate in Congress for decades.
Delegation at a Glance
District of Columbia sends 1 member to Congress — 1 non-voting delegate in the House and no Senators, since District of Columbia is a U.S. territory rather than a state.
- Members of District of Columbia's delegation have served an average of 35 years in Congress.
State Highlights
- Eleanor Norton is District of Columbia's longest-serving current member of Congress — in office since 1991 (35 years total).
District of Columbia sends 1 non-voting delegate to the U.S. House and has no U.S. Senators. Delegate serve 2-year terms. See current term end dates below.
Learn more about congressional term lengths, the Senate class schedule, or the upcoming 2026 election cycle.
2026 Election Picture for District of Columbia
District of Columbia's 2026 primary was held on June 16, 2026. All 1 of District of Columbia's U.S. House seat is on the ballot in 2026, since Delegate seats — like standard House seats — are elected to 2-year terms. The general election is November 3, 2026.
2026 is a midterm election year — it falls in the middle of the presidential term, so there is no presidential race on District of Columbia's 2026 ballot. Every U.S. House seat nationwide is on the ballot every two years, and roughly a third of U.S. Senate seats — whichever class is next in rotation — are up in every congressional election, midterm or presidential.
Full District of Columbia 2026 primary details · Election Day countdown · How midterm elections work
Delegates
1 total
How to Contact District of Columbia's Delegation
Every member of Congress can be reached through the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 — ask the operator to connect you to any senator or representative by name, and you will be transferred directly to their office. Each member listed above also has a direct Washington, D.C. office line on their individual page, which staff typically answer during business hours (9am–5pm Eastern).
Congressional staff log the position of every caller, so calling or writing is one of the most direct ways for a constituent to weigh in on legislation before District of Columbia's delegation votes on it.
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
Does District of Columbia have U.S. Senators?
No. District of Columbia is not a state, so it does not elect any U.S. Senators — only the 50 states do. District of Columbia is represented in Congress only by its delegate in the U.S. House.
How many delegates does District of Columbia have?
District of Columbia sends 1 non-voting delegate to the U.S. House. As a territory, District of Columbia is not apportioned voting seats based on population the way the 50 states are.
When is District of Columbia's 2026 primary?
District of Columbia's 2026 primary was held on June 16, 2026. All 1 of District of Columbia's U.S. House seat is also up for election in 2026, since House terms are two years.
Is District of Columbia's delegate a Democrat or a Republican?
As of 2026-09-07, District of Columbia's entire congressional delegation — its delegate — is Democratic, giving Democrats unified control of District of Columbia's seats in Congress.
Who represents District of Columbia in Congress?
District of Columbia is represented in the U.S. House by one non-voting delegate (1 Democrat). District of Columbia has no U.S. Senators. See the full current roster below.