Norton to Introduce Bill to Give D.C. Complete Authority to Set the Date of Special Elections for Local Offices

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that she will introduce a bill to give the District of Columbia complete authority to set the date of special elections for local offices. In 2012, Norton got a bill enacted into law (P.L. 112-15) that gave the District more authority to set the date of special elections, but the Republican-led House rejected giving D.C. full and complete authority over this matter.

The bill would give D.C. the authority to set the date of special elections for local offices as it sees fit. Norton's 2012 law gave the D.C. Board of Elections (Board) more flexibility to set the date of special elections for local offices to maximize voter participation, though House Republicans refused to give D.C. complete authority over the scheduling of special elections. Republicans never made clear why they refused to give D.C. complete authority over a matter that is unrelated to any other 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 sometimes led to special elections being held on religious holidays or 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 the Tuesday occurring between 70 and 174 days after the vacancy.

Last week, Norton announced she will introduce a bill to give the District complete authority to set the pay of the Chief Financial Officer.

Norton has introduced the following bills to expand home rule so far this Congress.

• The District of Columbia Paperwork Reduction Act (H.R. 1479) would eliminate the congressional review period for D.C. bills.
• The District of Columbia Local Prosecutor Establishment Act of 2017 (H.R. 1523) would allow the District to prosecute all crimes committed under its local laws. Currently, the U.S. Attorney for the District prosecutes almost all crimes committed by adults under local D.C. laws.
• The District of Columbia National Guard Home Rule Act (H.R. 1658) would give the D.C. mayor the authority to deploy the D.C. National Guard for local matters. Unlike governors of the states, and even territories, the District's chief executive officer has no authority over its local Guard.
• The District of Columbia Home Rule Clemency Act (H.R. 1765) would give the District exclusive authority, like the states and territories, to grant clemency to offenders convicted under its local laws. Currently, this authority is exercised in D.C. by the President.
• The District of Columbia Civil Enforcement Equality Act (H.R. 4678) would allow the District to enter into contracts with private attorneys to sue on the District's behalf for violations of D.C. law that may otherwise go unpunished due to a lack of resources. States, cities and most federal agencies have the authority to enter into such contracts to sue for violations of their laws.
• The District of Columbia Home Rule Non-Discrimination Act of 2018 (H.R. 5265) would eliminate the applicability of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to the District.
• The District of Columbia Police Home Rule Act (H.R. 6129) would repeal the President's authority to assume emergency control of the local D.C. police department.
• The District of Columbia Home Rule Bridges Act (H.R. 6153) would repeal a law that makes it a crime for a person in D.C. to obstruct any bridge connecting D.C. and Virginia.
• The District of Columbia Courts Home Rule Act (H.R. 6187) would give D.C. authority over the jurisdiction and organization of the local D.C. courts.
• The District of Columbia Zoning Commission Home Rule Act (H.R. 6215) would give D.C. the authority to appoint all members of the D.C. Zoning Commission.
• The District of Columbia Board of Zoning Adjustment Home Rule Act (H.R. 6289) would give D.C. the authority to appoint all members of the Board, except when the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to a chancery.