The posts of shadow United States senator and shadow United States representative are held by elected or appointed government officials from subnational polities of the United States that lack congressional vote. While these officials are not seated in either chamber of Congress,they seek for their subnational polity to gain voting rights in Congress. As of 2021,only the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico currently have authorized shadow delegations to Congress.
The District of Columbia statehood movement is a political movement that advocates making the District of Columbia a U.S. state,to provide the residents of the District of Columbia with voting representation in the Congress and full control over local affairs.
Voting rights of citizens in the District of Columbia differ from the rights of citizens in each of the 50 U.S. states. The Constitution grants each state voting representation in both houses of the United States Congress. As the federal capital,the District of Columbia is a special federal district,not a state,and therefore does not have voting representation in Congress. The Constitution grants Congress exclusive jurisdiction over the District in "all cases whatsoever".
Ralph Julian Rivers was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as the first United States Representative from Alaska,serving from statehood in 1959 to his resignation in 1966 following his defeat by Republican Howard Wallace Pollock. He previously served as the shadow U.S. Representative from Alaska Territory from 1956 to 1959.
Paul Eric Strauss is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States shadow senator from the District of Columbia since 1997. He succeeded Jesse Jackson,the first person to hold the elected position of a shadow senator for Washington,D.C. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Michael Donald "Mike" Brown is the junior United States shadow senator from the District of Columbia since 2007.
A referendum on statehood for the District of Columbia was held on November 8,2016. It was the first referendum on statehood to be held in the district. The District of Columbia was created following the passage of the Residence Act on July 9,1790,which approved the creation of a national capital,the City of Washington on the Potomac River.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives election in the District of Columbia was held on Tuesday,November 3,2020,to elect the non-voting Delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the District of Columbia. The election coincided with the elections of other federal,state,and local offices.
The 2020 Washington,D.C. elections were held on Tuesday,November 3,2020. Its primary elections were held on June 2,2020.
The 2020 Shadow Representative election in the District of Columbia took place on November 3,2020,to elect a shadow member to the United States House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia. Unlike non-voting delegates,the shadow representative is only recognized by the District of Columbia and is not officially sworn or seated.
The 2018 Shadow Representative election in the District of Columbia took place on November 6,2018,to elect a shadow member to the United States House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia. Unlike non-voting delegates,the Shadow Representative is only recognized by the District of Columbia and is not officially sworn or seated. Incumbent Shadow Representative Franklin Garcia won reelection unopposed.
The 2016 Shadow Representative election in the District of Columbia took place on November 8,2016,to elect a shadow member to the United States House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia. Unlike non-voting delegates,the Shadow Representative is only recognized by the District of Columbia and is not officially sworn or seated. Incumbent Shadow Representative Franklin Garcia won reelection unopposed.
Adeoye "Oye" Owolewa is a Nigerian-American politician,pharmacist,and a member of the Democratic Party. In November 2020,he was elected as the shadow representative of the United States House of Representatives from the District of Columbia. As a shadow congressperson,Owolewa is tasked with lobbying for D.C. statehood;the unpaid position is authorized by D.C. voters in 1982,but never approved by Congress. Although mistakenly described in Nigerian media as the first Nigerian-American to be elected to the U.S. Congress,Owolewa is not a member of Congress.
The 2014 Shadow Representative election in the District of Columbia took place on November 4,2014,to elect a shadow member to the United States House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia. Unlike non-voting delegates,the Shadow Representative is only recognized by the District of Columbia and is not officially sworn or seated. Incumbent Shadow Representative Nate Bennett-Fleming did not run for reelection and Franklin Garcia was elected in his place. The election was held concurrently with a mayoral election.
The 2012 Shadow Representative election in the District of Columbia took place on November 6,2012,to elect a shadow member to the United States House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia. Unlike non-voting delegates,the Shadow Representative is only recognized by the District of Columbia and is not officially sworn or seated. Incumbent Shadow Representative Mike Panetta declined to run for a fourth term. Nate Bennett-Fleming was elected in his place.
The Washington,D.C. Admission Act,often referred to simply as the D.C. Admission Act,is a bill introduced during the 116th United States Congress. The intention of the bill is to grant Washington,D.C.,admission into the Union as a state and hence make it the country's first and only city-state. The bill was originally introduced in the 116th Congress on January 3,2019,and was reintroduced on January 4,2021,in the 117th Congress. It passed on April 22,2021 in the House of Representatives.
The 1998 Shadow Representative election in the District of Columbia took place on November 13,1998,to elect a shadow member to the United States House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia. Unlike non-voting delegates,the Shadow Representative is only recognized by the District of Columbia and is not officially sworn or seated. One-term incumbent Sabrina Sojourner declined to run for reelection and was succeeded by fellow Democrat Tom Bryant.
The 1994 Shadow Representative election in the District of Columbia took place on November 8,1994,to elect a shadow member to the United States House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia. Unlike non-voting delegates,the Shadow Representative is only recognized by the District of Columbia and is not officially sworn or seated. Two-term incumbent and inaugural office-holder Charles Moreland declined to run for reelection and was succeeded by fellow Democrat John Capozzi.
The 2022 Council of the District of Columbia election will be held on November 8,2022. Elections will be held in four ward districts as well as for Chairperson of the council and two at-large seats.
The 2022 Shadow Representative election in the District of Columbia will take place November 8,2022,to elect a shadow member to the United States House of Representatives to represent the District of Columbia. Unlike non-voting delegates,the shadow representative is only recognized by the District of Columbia and is not officially sworn or seated. Incumbent Shadow Representative Oye Owolewa is running for a second term.
