[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 143 (Tuesday, August 11, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E745-E746]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPECIAL ELECTIONS HOME RULE 
                                  ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 11, 2020

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the District of 
Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act. This bill would give the 
District of Columbia complete authority to set the date of special 
elections for local offices, as other jurisdictions already have. Our 
bill simply removes a Home Rule Act limitation on the District that is 
not only inconsistent with

[[Page E746]]

the self-government granted by the Home Rule Act, but is also 
counterproductive.
  This bill follows legislation we got through Congress in 2012 that 
gave the D.C. Board of Elections (``Board'') more flexibility to set 
the date of special elections for local offices to maximize voter 
participation. Although we sought complete authority for the District 
over the scheduling of special elections, the 2012 law, the District of 
Columbia Special Election Reform Act, did not include this home-rule 
principle. D.C. should have complete authority over a matter that is 
unrelated to any other congressional district and has no relevance to 
Congress.
  The Home Rule Act originally required the Board to hold special 
elections on the first Tuesday 114 days from when the vacancy occurred 
and allowed the Board to schedule special elections on the same day as 
the next general election if that election occurred 60 days from when a 
special election would otherwise have been held. This inflexibility led 
to special elections being held on religious holidays and forced the 
District to hold a special election separate from an upcoming general 
election, costing the District hundreds of thousands of dollars in 
extra election costs. The 2012 law required the Board to hold a special 
election on a Tuesday occurring between 70 and 174 days after the 
vacancy.
  Our bill is an important step to perfect home rule for the District. 
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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