Did the House of Representatives allow voting by proxy during the coronavirus pandemic?
On May 15, the House of Representatives passed a resolution that allows absent members to designate proxies for floor votes "during a public health emergency due to a novel coronavirus." The temporary rule, currently set to expire Oct. 2, may be extended in additional 45-day increments based on the "status" of the emergency.
House members who wish to cast a proxy vote must electronically transmit a letter designating a proxy and provide their proxy with written instructions on how to vote on a pending matter.
House Republicans have called proxy voting unconstitutional, arguing members were present on the floor during the Civil War and earlier epidemics. They said proxy voting would dilute the voting powers of members who were present. Their efforts to block the practice in federal courts have so far been unsuccessful.
