Jackie Reyes-Yanes to Host Ward 1 Meet & Greet and Bilingual Ranked Choice Voting Workshop with DC Board of Elections

Free Community Event | Sunday, April 26 | Sacred Heart Church | 10:00 AM

WASHINGTON , DC, UNITED STATES, April 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Jackie Reyes-Yanes, candidate for Ward 1 DC Council, is inviting neighbors to a Meet & Greet and Bilingual Ranked Choice Voting Workshop in partnership with the DC Board of Elections—ensuring voters have clear, accessible information ahead of this election. “My commitment is to make sure every Ward 1 voter feels informed, confident, and ready to participate,” said Reyes Yanes. “That starts with meeting people where they are—face to face, neighbor to neighbor.”

At a time when many voters are still learning ranked choice voting, Reyes-Yanes’ campaign is the only campaign hosting a bilingual workshop, providing hands-on guidance in English and Spanish.
“This is what grassroots leadership looks like,” she added. “Accessible, inclusive, and rooted in community.”

The stakes for voter education have never been higher. DC voters approved Initiative 83—bringing ranked choice voting to DC Council races—by nearly 73% in November 2024, yet the new system will be used for the first time in the 2026 primary. Research consistently shows that affluent voters turn out at 30–50% higher rates than low-income voters in local elections, and that white voters participate at rates roughly 20% higher than non-white voters in municipal races (National Civic League). A disparity that ranked choice voting’s multi-candidate ranking process could widen further if voters are not adequately informed. In-person, bilingual education events—like this workshop conducted in partnership with the DC Board of Elections—are among the most effective tools for closing these gaps, ensuring that Ward 1’s diverse, multilingual community enters the voting booth fully prepared.

EVENT DETAILS
Ward 1 Meet & Greet + Ranked Choice Voting Workshop
Date & Time: Sunday, April 26 | 10:00 AM
Location: Sacred Heart Church
3211 Sacred Heart Way NW, Washington, DC
Come meet Jackie. Learn how to vote. Be part of the movement.
Rank Jackie as your #1 choice.

About Jackie Reyes-Yanes, Council Candidate for Ward 1, Washington DC
Jackie’s story is Ward 1’s story. She began her public service in 2007 as a community relations and services specialist under Mayor Fenty. Working alongside Council member Jim Graham, she sharpened her expertise in constituent services and policy—tackling housing, public safety, and economic opportunity from the ground up.
Jackie became Director of the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (2015–2021), where she made government work for immigrant and Latino families. She expanded language access so people could talk to agencies in their own language. She helped Latino-owned small businesses survive and thrive. And when COVID hit, she didn’t wait—she connected 20,000+ neighbors to vaccines, delivered $10 million to families facing eviction, and launched a historic Sister City partnership between D.C. and San Salvador. She also created a $3.5 million Immigrant Justice Legal Services Program so families had lawyers fighting for them.
Most recently (2021–2025), Jackie served as Director of the Mayor’s Office on Community Affairs, overseeing 14 neighborhood offices and a $23 million budget. She coordinated citywide community support, helped migrant families arriving at Union Station, and played a key role in making D.C.’s 2025 World Pride a landmark celebration of inclusion and dignity.
In October 2025, Jackie launched her campaign for Ward 1 D.C. Council because she knows what needs to change: real affordable housing so neighbors can stay, universal childcare so families can work, a government that is responsive and accountable, thriving small businesses, and neighborhoods that feel safe and clean.

Mariana Barrientos Roig
ROIG Communications
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