Federal Election Reform | Past Hearings

Hearings on Election Issues in the 110th and 111th Congresses

The following is a list of Congressional hearings on election issues in the 110th and 111th Congresses. The hearings are listed in reverse chronological order. Where available, links to hearing announcements, video or audio of a hearing, and witness testimony are provided.

Click here to access information, including testimony, from hearings in the 112th Congress.

111th Congress

Additional Discussion of H.R. 5175, "The DISCLOSE ACT, Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections"
May 11, 2010 | 5:00 pm | 1310 Longworth Building
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Witnesses    

Hearing on H.R. 5175, "The DISCLOSE ACT, Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections"
May 6, 2010 | 11:00 am | 1310 Longworth Building
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Witnesses    

Hearing: Voting By Mail: An Examination of State and Local Experiences
May 5, 2010 | 10:00 am
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Statements

Witnesses    

Panel I

Panel II  

Hearing on H.R. 3335, the "Democracy Restoration Act of 2009"
March 16, 2010 | 2:00 pm | 2141 Rayburn Building
U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties

Witnesses

Hearing: "We the People? Corporate Spending in American Elections after Citizens United"
March 10, 2010 | 10:00 am | 226 Dirksen
U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

Statements

Witnesses

  • Jeffrey Rosen, Professor, The George Washington University Law School
  • Doug Kendall, Founder and President, Constitutional Accountability Center 
  • Bradley A. Smith, Chairman, Center for Competitive Politics, and Professor of Law, Capital University Law School

Hearing: Defining the Future of Campaign Finance in an Age of Supreme Court Activism
February 3, 2010 | 1:00 pm | 1310 Longworth Building
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Witnesses

Hearing: The First Amendment and Campaign Finance Reform After Citizens United
February 3, 2010 | 10:00 am | 2141 Rayburn House Office Building
U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties

Witnesses

  • Laurence H. Tribe, Carl M. Loeb University Professor, Harvard Law School
  • Monica Y. Youn, Counsel and Director of the Campaign Finance Reform Project, Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law
  • Sean Parnell, President, Center for Competitive Politics
  • Donald J. Simon, Partner, Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLP

Hearing: Corporate America vs. The Voter: Examining the Supreme Court’s Decision to Allow Unlimited Corporate Spending in Elections
February 2, 2010 | 10:00 am | 304 Russell Senate Office Building
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Witnesses

Hearing on H.R. 3489, Prohibiting Challenges of Voters Facing Foreclosure
November 4, 2009 | 11:00 am | 1310 Longworth Building
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Hearing: Modernizing the Election Registration Process
October 21, 2009 | 1:00 pm | 1310 Longworth Building 
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections

Witnesses

Statements Submitted for the Record

Hearing on H.R. 1729, the "Student Voter Opportunity To Encourage Registration (Student VOTER) Act of 2009" 
October 21, 2009 | 11:00 am | 1310 Longworth Building - POSTPONED
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Hearing: Examining Uniformity in Election Standards
July 15, 2009 | 2:00 pm
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections

Witnesses

S. 1415, A Bill Introduced by Senators Schumer, Chambliss, and Nelson (NE), the "Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act"
July 15, 2009 | 9:20 am | 301 Russell Building 
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Hearing on Military and Overseas Voting: Obstacles and Potential Solutions
May 21, 2009 | 10:00 am | 1539 Longworth Building 
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections

Panel I

Hearing: Problems for Military and Overseas Voters: Why Many Soldiers and Their Families Can't Vote
May 13, 2009 | 9:50 am | 301 Russell Building 
U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

Statements

Panel I

  • Ms. Gail McGinn, Acting Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, U.S. Department of Defense

Panel II

Statements Submitted for the Record

Hearing: 2008 Audit Review and Agency Spending by the Election Assistance Commission
April 1, 2009 | 10:00 am | 1310 Longworth Building 
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections

Panel I

Panel II

Hearing on the 2008 Election: A Look Back at What Went Right and Wrong
March 26, 2009 | 10:00 am | 1310 Longworth Building 
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections

Panel I

Panel II

Lessons Learned from the 2008 Election
March 19, 2009 | 10:00 am | 2141 Rayburn Building 
U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties

Panel I

Panel II

  • Tova Wang, Vice President for Research, Common Cause
  • James Terry, Chief Public Advocate, Consumers Rights League
  • Hilary Shelton, Director, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Washington Bureau
  • Glenn D. Magpantay, Staff Attorney, Asian Amerian Legal Defense Fund (AALDEF)

Joint Hearing on S.J. Res. 7 and H.J. Res. 21: A Constitutional Amendment Concerning Senate Vacancies
March 11, 2009 | 10:00 am | 2141 Rayburn Building 
U.S House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties; and U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution

Panel I

Panel II

  • Vikram D. Amar, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law, University of California, Davis
  • Robert Edgar, President and CEO, Common Cause
  • Pamela S. Karlan, Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law, Stanford Law School
  • Kevin J. Kennedy, Director and General Counsel, Wisconsin Government Accountability Board
  • Thomas H. Neale, Specialist in American National Government. Congressional Research Service
  • David Segal, Analyst, FairVote, Rhode Island State Representative
  • Matthew Spalding, Ph.D., Director, B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies, The Heritage Foundation

Member Statements

Hearing on Voter Registration: Assessing Current Problems
March 11, 2009 | 10:00 am | 301 Russell Building 
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Member Statements

Panel I

Statements Submitted for the Record

Hearing on H.R. 157, the "District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2009"
January 27, 2009 | 10:00 am | 2141 Rayburn Building 
U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary

Panel I

Panel II

  • Wade Henderson, President & CEO, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
  • Yolanda Lee, U.S. Army Guard Captain, District of Columbia National Guard
  • Jonathan Turley, J.B. & Maurice Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law, George Washington University Law Schoo

110th Congress

Letter from voting rights groups urging the Department of Justice to issue a public statement or letter assuring that the rights of all voters to participate in the election will be free of intimidation or harrassment will be protected. Letter (10/17/08)

Hearing: The Continuing Investigation into the U.S. Attorneys Controversy and Related Matters
October 10, 2008 | 10:00 am
2141 Rayburn House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary

Witnesses:

Nominations of Gracia M. Hillman, Donetta Davidson, Rosemary E. Rodriguez and Gineen Bresso Beach to be members of the Election Assistance Commission
September 25, 2008 | 2:30 p.m
301 Russell Senate Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Witnesses:

Hearing: Ensuring the Rights of College Students to Vote
September 25, 2008 | 1:30 pm
1310 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Witnesses:

Panel I:

Panel II:

Panel III:

Joint Hearing: Federal, State and Local Efforts to Prepare for the 2008 Election
September 24, 2008 | 10:00 AM
2141 Rayburn House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections

Witnesses:

Panel I:

  • Pedro Cortes, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, President, National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
  • David M Farrell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Director of Electons, Office of the Ohio Secretary of State
  • Rokey W. Suleman, General Registrar, Fairfax County Office of Elections
  • Doug Lewis, Director, National Association of Election Officials

Panel II:

Hearing: Voter Registration for Wounded Warriors: S. 3308, the "Veterans Voter Support Act"
September 15, 2008 | 10:00 am
301 Russell Senate Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Witnesses:

Hearing: Protecting the Right to Vote: Oversight of the Department of Justice's Preparations for the 2008 General Election
September 9, 2008 | 2:15 pm
562 Dirksen Senate Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

Witnesses:

Panel I:

  • Grace Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
  • Barry Sabin, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice

Panel II:

Hearing: S. 3212: the "Bipartisan Electronic Voting Reform Act of 2008"
July 30, 2008 | 10:00 am
301 Russell Senate Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Witnesses:

  • Hon. Todd Rokita, Past-President, National Association of Secretaries of State
  • Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
  • Juan E. Gilbert, Ph.D., Distinguished Associated Professor, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering
  • James Dickson, Vice President for Governmental Affairs, American Association of Persons with Disabilities

Hearing: Lessons Learned From the 2004 Presidential Election
July 24, 2008 | 1:00 pm
2141 Rayburn House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Commitee on the Judiciary

Witnesses:

Panel I:

  • J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow, The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions
  • Dan Tokaji, Associate Professor of Law & Associate Director, Election Law, Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
  • Cleta Mitchell, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP

Panel II:

  • Gilda Daniels, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Baltimore School of Law
  • Hans von Spakovsky, Visitin Scholar, Heritage Foundation
  • J. Gerald Hebert, Executive Director & Director of Litigation, The Campaign Finance Legal Center

Hearing: Oversight of the Department of Justice
July 23, 2008 | 10:15 am
2141 Rayburn House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary

Witnesses:

Hearing: Nominations to the Federal Election Commission
May 21, 2008 | 2:00 pm
301 Russell Senate Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

For the consideration of the nominations of Cynthia L. Bauerly, Caroline C. Hunter, and Donald F. McGahn to be members of the Federal Election Commission

Witnesses:

  • Ms. Cynthia L. Bauerly, of Minnesota, to be a member of the Federal Election Commission for a term expiring April 30, 2011
  • Ms. Caroline C. Hunter, of Florida, to be a member of the Federal Election Commission for a term expiring April 30, 2013
  • Mr. Donald F. McGahn, of the District of Columbia, to be a member of the Federal Election Commission for a term expiring April 30, 2009

Hearing: Protecting the Constitutional Right to Vote for All Americans
May 20, 2008 | 2:30 pm
226 Dirksen Senate Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

Witnesses:

  • Jonah H. Goldman, Director, National Campaign for Fair Elections Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under Law
  • Pam S. Karlan, Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law, Stanford Law School
  • J. Bradley King, Co-Director, Division of Elections, Indiana Secretary of State
  • Cleta Mitchell, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP
  • John Payton, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

Hearing: Election Contingency Plans: What Have We Learned and Is America Prepared?
May 14, 2008 | 2:00 pm
1310 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections

Witnesses:

Panel I:

Panel II:

Meeting & Markup
May 7, 2008 | 11:00 am
1310 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Hearing: Military and Overseas Voting: Problems and Progress in Ensuring the Vote
April 15, 2008 | 11:00 am
1310 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Witnesses:

Hearing: 2008 Presidential Primaries and Caucuses "What We've Learned So Far"
April 9, 2008 | 11:30 am
1310 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Witnesses:

Additional Statements for the Record:

Markup: H.R. 5493, H.R. 5036, H.R. 281, and H.R. 3032
April 2, 2008 | 11:00 am
1310 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on House Administration

Hearing: National Voter Registration Act, Section 7: The Challenges That Public Assistance Agencies Face
April 1, 2008 | 2:00 pm
1310 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections

Witnesses:

Oversight Hearing: Election Assistance Commission
March 12, 2008 | 3:00 pm
1310 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. House Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Election

Witnesses:

Hearing: In-Person Voter Fraud: Myth and Trigger for Disenfranchisement?
March 12, 2008 | 10:00 am
SR-301 Russell Senate Office Building | Washington, DC
U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration