Republicans on the House Oversight and Administration Committees held a joint hearing on Wednesday highlighting foreign interference in Washington, D.C.’s elections.
“Our nation’s capital should be a beacon of democracy and a national model for excellence in election administration. This isn’t about who wins or loses elections, but rather ensuring voters have confidence in our elections,” said House Admin Chair and Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis.
In his opening remarks, Steil emphasized numerous problems threatening the integrity of D.C. elections, including the district’s allowance of voters to cast a ballot without an ID and ballot harvesting. Among the most notable issues raised, however, is the city’s recent decision permitting non-citizens to vote in local elections.
Passed by the D.C. Council late last year, D.C. Bill 24.300 expands the definition of “qualified elector” for municipal elections to include “otherwise eligible non-citizen residents.” This means that non-citizens residing in the nation’s capital for 30 days, including foreign diplomats from countries such as China and Russia, could vote in mayoral, city council, and other local elections. According to The Washington Post, there are an estimated 50,000 non-citizens residing in D.C.
In February, House Republicans utilized their constitutional authority to pass a measure blocking the law’s implementation. Despite 42 House Democrats joining their Republican colleagues in supporting the bill’s passage (260-173), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer refused to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote.
While Democrats would like to believe otherwise, D.C. has experienced a myriad of election-based administrative failures in
