District of Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act
Bill: H.R.6503 | Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes (D-DC)
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
District of Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act
This bill provides authority for the District of Columbia government to set the date and time of special elections for local office positions in the District.

To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to permit the District 
  of Columbia to establish the timing of special elections for local 
                  office in the District of Columbia.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``District of Columbia Special 
Elections Home Rule Act''.

SEC. 2. TIMING OF SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL OFFICE IN DISTRICT OF 
              COLUMBIA.

    (a) Council.--
            (1) Chair.--The first sentence of section 401(b)(3) of the 
        District of Columbia Home Rule Act (sec. 1-204.01(b)(3), D.C. 
        Official Code) is amended to read as follows: ``To fill a 
        vacancy in the Office of Chairman, the Board of Elections shall 
        hold a special election in the District in accordance with such 
        procedures, including procedures establishing the time of the 
        election, as may be established by law of the District of 
        Columbia.''.
            (2) Members elected from wards.--The first sentence of 
        section 401(d)(1) of such Act (sec. 1-204.01(d)(1), D.C. 
        Official Code) is amended to read as follows: ``In the event of 
        a vacancy in the Council of a member elected from a ward, the 
        Board of Elections shall hold a special election in the 
        District in accordance with such procedures, including 
        procedures establishing the time of the election, as may be 
        established by law of the District of Columbia.''.
            (3) Members elected at-large.--The second sentence of 
        section 401(d)(2) of such Act (sec. 1-204.01(d)(2)) is amended 
        by striking ``and such special election'' and all that follows 
        and inserting the following: ``and such special election shall 
        be held in accordance with such procedures, including 
        procedures establishing the time of the election, as may be 
        established by law of the District of Columbia.''.
    (b) Mayor.--The first sentence of section 421(c)(2) of such Act 
(sec. 1-204.21(c)(2), D.C. Official Code) is amended to read as 
follows: ``To fill a vacancy in the Office of Mayor, the Board of 
Elections shall hold a special election in the District in accordance 
with such procedures, including procedures establishing the time of the 
election, as may be established by law of the District of Columbia.''.
    (c) Attorney General.--The first sentence of section 435(b)(1) of 
such Act (sec. 1-204.35(b)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended by 
striking ``the Board of Elections'' and all that follows and inserting 
the following: ``the Board of Elections shall hold a special election 
in the District in accordance with such procedures, including 
procedures establishing the time of the election, as may be established 
by law of the District of Columbia.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to 
vacancies occurring after the expiration of the one-year period which 
begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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