Contested Elections
Cases Properly Filed Under the Federal Contested Election Act in the 117th Congress
Committee Resolution 117-10: a Resolution to Establish Procedures for Contested Elections Cases Properly Filed Under the Federal Contested Election Act (February 19, 2021).
The Constitution, in Article I, Section 5, clause 1, expressly provides that each House of Congress “shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns, and Qualifications of its own Members.” Federal law – the Federal Contested Election Act – has long provided a specific framework for handling contested elections, and assigned responsibility to hear such contests to the Committee on House Administration. By their very nature and under the design and requirements of federal law, an election contest can only be filed by a candidate who claims a right to an office after an election official has declared the result of the election in favor of the contestant’s opponent.
Iowa's Second Congressional District: Rita R. Hart v. Mariannette Miller-Meeks
Party Filings:
- Contestant Rita R. Hart's Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress from Iowa's Second Congressional District (December 22, 2020).
- Contestee Mariannette Miller-Meeks' Motion to Dismiss Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the 117th Congress from the Second Congressional District of Iowa (January 21, 2021).
- Contestant's Response to Contestee's Motion to Dismiss Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress from Iowa's Second Congressional District (February 2, 2021).
- Contestee's Reply to [Response] to Motion to Dismiss Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the 117th Congress from the Second Congressional District of Iowa (February 9, 2021).
- Contestee's Answer to Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the 117th Congress from the Second Congressional District of Iowa (March 22, 2021).
- Contestant's Notice of Withdrawal of Notice of Contest (April 8, 2021).
Committee Meetings:
Committee Resolutions:
Committee Correspondence:
- Committee on House Administration Letter to Counsels (March 10, 2021).
- Contestant Rita R. Hart's Initial Brief in Response to Chairperson Lofgren's Letter of March 10, 2021 (March 22, 2021).
- Contestee Mariannette Miller-Meeks' Initial Brief in Response to Chairperson Lofgren's Letter of March 10, 2021 (March 22, 2021).
- Contestant Rita R. Hart's Reply Brief in Response to Chairperson Lofgren's Letter of March 10, 2021 (March 29, 2021).
- Contestee Mariannette Miller-Meeks' Reply Brief in Response to Chairperson Lofgren's Letter of March 10, 2021 (March 29, 2021).
Illinois' Fourteenth Congressional District: James "Jim" Oberweis v. Lauren Underwood
Party Filings:
- Contestant James "Jim" Oberweis' Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress from Illinois' Fourteenth Congressional District (January 3, 2021).
- Contestee Lauren Underwood's Motion to Dismiss Contestant's Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress from Illinois' Fourteenth Congressional District (February 3, 2021).
- Contestant's Motion for Leave to File Response in Opposition to Contestee's Motion to Dismiss Contestant's Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress from Illinois' Fourteenth Congressional District (February 11, 2021).
- Contestant's Response to Contestee's Motion to Dismiss Contestant's Notice of Contest Regarding teh Election for Representative in the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress from Illinois' Fourteenth Congressional District (March 11, 2021).
- Contestee's Reply in Support of Motion to Dismiss Contestant's Notice of Contest Regarding the Election for Representative in the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress from Illinois' Fourteenth Congressional District (March 18, 2021).
Committee Meetings:
- Committee Meeting on a Resolution to Establish Procedures in Contested Election Cases Properly Filed Under The Federal Contested Election Act, and Related Matters (February 19, 2021).