while the district of columbia is considered politically neutral at the time of passage in 1961, the district swung dramatically toward the democratic party since. african-americans have voted in greater numbers than they had in the 1940s and 1950s. according to the 1970 census, 71% of the federal district was black, a dramatic jump. as a result, the district has sent its 3 electoral votes to the democratic candidate in every single presidential election since 1964. however, the district's electoral votes have yet to prove decisive in a presidential election. the smallest electoral college majority won by a democratic president since the twenty-third amendment's ratification was the 56 vote majority achieved by jimmy carter in 1976.