5833015 Resolution 21-361, District of Columbia Board of Elections Dionna Maria Lewis Confirmation Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2016

A RESOLUTION

                                                        

21-361

 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

January 5, 2016        

 

           

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to confirm the appointment of Ms. Dionna Maria Lewis to the District of Columbia Board of Elections.

 

            RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “District of Columbia Board of Elections Dionna Maria Lewis Confirmation Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2016”.

 

            Sec. 2.  (a) The District of Columbia Board of Elections (“Board”) is a 3-member, independent agency that convenes to consider and vote on election administration, ballot access, and voter registration matters.

(b) Section 3 of the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, approved August 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 699; D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.03), provides that members of the Board shall be appointed for 3-year terms with the advice and consent of the Council.

(c) Since July 7, 2014, all sitting members of the Board have been holding over. One member of the Board resigned after serving for one year as a holdover member, and the other 2 members continue to hold over until their replacements are confirmed.

            (d) On November 5, 2015, Chairman Mendelson introduced, at the request of the Mayor, PR21-0415, the District of Columbia Board of Elections Dionna Maria Lewis Confirmation Resolution of 2015, to confirm Dionna Maria Lewis to the Board for a term to end July 7, 2018.

(e) The Committee on the Judiciary held a public hearing on PR21-0415 on December 16, 2015.

(f) As there are currently no permanent members on the Board and no permanent Executive Director, it is necessary to confirm Ms. Lewis on an emergency basis.

 (g) Without her confirmation, the Board will be unable to adequately prepare for the June 2016 primary election.

 

            Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the District of Columbia Board of Elections Dionna Maria Lewis Emergency Confirmation Resolution of 2016 be adopted on an emergency basis.

 

            Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.