I 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3902 

To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to revise the timing 

of special elections for local office in the District of Columbia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2012 

Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to revise 

the timing of special elections for local office in the 

District of Columbia. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘District of Columbia 

5 Special Election Reform Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. TIMING OF SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL OF7 FICE IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 

8 (a) COUNCIL.— 

9 (1) CHAIR.—The first sentence of section 

10 401(b)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3902 IH

1 Act (sec. 1–204.01(b)(3), D.C. Official Code) is 

2 amended to read as follows: ‘‘To fill a vacancy in the 

3 Office of Chairman, the Board of Elections shall 

4 hold a special election in the District on the Tuesday 

5 occurring at least 70 days and not more than 174 

6 days after the date on which such vacancy occurs 

7 which the Board of Elections determines, based on 

8 a totality of the circumstances, taking into account, 

9 inter alia, cultural and religious holidays and the ad10 ministrability of the election, will provide the largest 

11 opportunity for voter participation.’’. 

12 (2) MEMBERS ELECTED FROM WARDS.—The 

13 first sentence of section 401(d)(1) of such Act (sec. 

14 1–204.01(d)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended to 

15 read as follows: ‘‘In the event of a vacancy in the 

16 Council of a member elected from a ward, the Board 

17 of Elections shall hold a special election in the Dis18 trict on the Tuesday occurring at least 70 days and 

19 not more than 174 days after the date on which 

20 such vacancy occurs which the Board of Elections 

21 determines, based on a totality of the circumstances, 

22 taking into account, inter alia, cultural and religious 

23 holidays and the administrability of the election, will 

24 provide the largest opportunity for voter participa25 tion.’’. 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3902 IH

1 (3) MEMBERS ELECTED AT-LARGE.—The sec2 ond sentence of section 401(d)(2) of such Act (sec. 

3 1–204.01(d)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘and such 

4 special election’’ and all that follows and inserting 

5 the following: ‘‘and such special election shall be 

6 held on the Tuesday occurring at least 70 days and 

7 not more than 174 days after the date on which 

8 such vacancy occurs which the Board of Elections 

9 determines, based on a totality of the circumstances, 

10 taking into account, inter alia, cultural and religious 

11 holidays and the administrability of the election, will 

12 provide the largest opportunity for voter participa13 tion.’’. 

14 (b) MAYOR.—The first sentence of section 421(c)(2) 

15 of such Act (sec. 1–204.21(c)(2), D.C. Official Code) is 

16 amended to read as follows: ‘‘To fill a vacancy in the Of17 fice of Mayor, the Board of Elections shall hold a special 

18 election in the District on the Tuesday occurring at least 

19 70 days and not more than 174 days after the date on 

20 which such vacancy occurs which the Board of Elections 

21 determines, based on a totality of the circumstances, tak22 ing into account, inter alia, cultural and religious holidays 

23 and the administrability of the election, will provide the 

24 largest opportunity for voter participation.’’. 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3902 IH

1 (c) ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The first sentence of sec2 tion 435(b)(1) of such Act (sec. 1–204.35(b)(1), D.C. Of3 ficial Code) is amended by striking ‘‘the Board’’ and all 

4 that follows and inserting the following: ‘‘the Board of 

5 Elections shall hold a special election in the District on 

6 the Tuesday occurring at least 70 days and not more than 

7 174 days after the date on which such vacancy occurs 

8 which the Board of Elections determines, based on a total9 ity of the circumstances, taking into account, inter alia, 

10 cultural and religious holidays and the administrability of 

11 the election, will provide the largest opportunity for voter 

12 participation.’’. 

13 SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

14 The amendments made by section 2 shall apply with 

15 respect to vacancies occurring on or after the enactment 

16 of this Act. 

Æ 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS