Bill Overview
Title: District of Columbia Special Elections Home Rule Act
Description: This bill provides authority for the District of Columbia government to set the date and time of special elections for local office positions in the District.
Sponsors: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Target Audience
Population: Residents of the District of Columbia
Estimated Size: 720000
- The bill pertains specifically to the District of Columbia, indicating that the target population is the residents of this area.
- Special elections for local office positions affect residents who are eligible to vote, as these elections determine who will represent their interests in local governance.
- Local officials and government employees in the District of Columbia will also be affected, as changes in election procedures could impact their work or campaigning strategies.
- Businesses and organizations in the area may also be indirectly impacted by changes in local governance resulting from the special elections.
Reasoning
- The policy is specific to the District of Columbia, so its direct impact is focused on DC residents.
- The policy affects mainly voters (citizens eligible to vote), local officials, and potentially local businesses influenced by election outcomes.
- Only a subset of the population in DC will be impacted directly, mainly those actively participating in or influenced by local elections.
- Residents who are indifferent or disengaged from local politics may feel minimal impact from changes in election timing.
Simulated Interviews
Local Government Employee (District of Columbia)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think allowing DC to set its own special election dates provides flexibility and respects our local governance.
- It will possibly streamline our processes but might require additional resources initially.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Small Business Owner (District of Columbia)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Changes in election timing could affect business due to changes in local policies related to commerce.
- I'm interested in how this could create more politically stable and predictable environments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Retired (District of Columbia)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This gives residents more direct input on when important elections happen, which I support.
- Hope this leads to fairer representation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Student (District of Columbia)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having elections when they're most relevant could engage more young voters like me.
- It'll influence my participation in politics.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Community Organizer (District of Columbia)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a great opportunity to engage the local populace more directly.
- Could see improvements in community representation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Lawyer (District of Columbia)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could make special elections more efficient, but it depends on implementation.
- The legal community should prepare for initial logistical challenges.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Educator (District of Columbia)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Flexible election timing may better align educational campaigns with student participation.
- This could be an educational boon for my students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Journalist (District of Columbia)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act provides great content for stories on local governance evolution.
- The journalistic angle is important for public accountability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Software Developer (District of Columbia)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Timely elections can improve tech policy directly impacting local startups.
- Interested in practical outcomes more than processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Healthcare Campaign Director (District of Columbia)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Unique election timing can refocus policy discussions, especially in healthcare.
- We'll see how it aligns with campaigning strategies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 2: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 3: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 5: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 10: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Year 100: $500000 (Low: $300000, High: $700000)
Key Considerations
- The policy affects the governance process within the District of Columbia, potentially empowering more tailored and timely special elections.
- Given the specific geographical and governance focus, broad economic impacts are likely limited.
- The implementation cost is relatively modest, primarily impacting administrative budgets for election management.
- Distributional effects within the local populace concerning representation and service delivery might be more significant than direct economic impacts.