WASHINGTON - Residents across the nation's capital are going to the polls Tuesday to choose party nominees for mayor and the district's nonvoting delegate in Congress. The contest unfolds as President Donald Trump continues to reshape federal operations and local dynamics in Washington.

This primary represents the first time in decades that D.C. voters will pick both a new mayor and a new delegate during the same cycle. Because the city leans heavily Democratic, the winners of those party contests are widely expected to prevail in November's general election.

The mayoral race draws the most attention after Muriel Bowser, elected in 2014, chose not to pursue another term. Leading Democratic contenders Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie are positioned to succeed her.

Longtime congressional delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is also retiring, leaving council member Brooke Pinto and at-large member Robert White Jr. as the main Democratic hopefuls. Republican candidate Denise Rosado, an immigration attorney, faces no opposition.

Voters will use ranked-choice voting for the first time, a change that election officials caution could postpone final results for several days.

Every campaign has centered on the city's tense ties with the Trump administration and federal oversight. Although D.C. enjoys limited self-rule, Congress and the White House still hold final say over budgets and local legislation.

That limited independence has tightened further under Trump, who deployed additional federal agents last summer and stationed National Guard troops for an extended mission. His push to shrink the federal workforce has eliminated thousands of positions in the region, while efforts to alter historic sites and add presidential branding have altered the city's appearance.

Just last week Trump suggested a possible federal takeover of the district if Lewis George, a democratic socialist, wins the mayoral nomination.

"Maybe we'd take back Washington, run it on the federal basis," he said.

Bowser navigated a delicate balance, trying to maintain constructive relations with Trump while addressing residents who felt she had not resisted his policies strongly enough.

Republicans in Congress have meanwhile exercised oversight powers to question the city's remaining local authority.

"We are the capital of the United States, and it's an incredibly symbolic place, this city," said Amanda Huron, a University of the District of Columbia professor who teaches D.C. history and politics.

Huron noted that federal actions toward the capital often signal how the government will approach the broader nation.

Lewis George told The Associated Press her chief goal is tackling the affordability crisis, which she said the Trump administration has worsened through mass federal layoffs and increased street militarization.

McDuffie has placed public safety first, proposing to hire 1,000 additional officers over four years and to treat violence as a public-health issue with expanded mental-health services.

Other mayoral candidates include former council member Vincent Orange and Hope Solomon, a former federal contractor who lost her position amid Department of Government Efficiency reductions.

Some residents worry about potential federal retaliation against strong local pushback. Pat Wheeler, a D.C. resident, said candidates must remain pragmatic because Trump retains significant influence over Republican lawmakers who could further restrict home rule.

Five Democrats seek to replace Norton, who is completing her 18th term. At 89, Norton faced calls to step aside from critics, including her former chief of staff, who questioned her capacity to confront the current political challenges.

Pinto and White both list greater self-governance and improved affordability for middle- and working-class residents as top priorities.

Additional Democratic candidates include Trent Holbrook, a former Norton staff member; Kenney Zalesne, ex-Deputy National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee; and Gregory Jaczko, former chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.