Oct 4, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Supreme Court says D.C. not entitled to a voting member of Congress

Yacob Reyes

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an effort to give Washington, D.C., residents a voting member in Congress, the Washington Post reports.

The big picture: The court issued its decision without a hearing, citing a similar case from 2000 that concluded that D.C. is not constitutionally entitled to voting representation because it is not a state.

The ruling dealt a blow to advocates attempting to secure city residents' voting representation through the courts rather than through legislation.
The city is currently represented in the House of Representatives by a non-voting member, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D).

Between the lines: The Supreme Court ruling does not majorly affect the enduring battle for D.C. statehood, the Post writes. The decision only asserts that the District is not constitutionally entitled to a vote in the national legislature.

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Supreme Court says D.C. not entitled to a voting member of Congress

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