FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing: Ensuring Safe Elections During COVID-19

Original title: ENSURING A FREE, FAIR,. AND SAFE ELECTION DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

January 1, 2020

elections coronavirus voting rights public health congressional hearings

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing examined the logistical and public health challenges of conducting a national election during a pandemic, influencing discussions on mail-in voting, polling place safety, and voter access.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Voters

The policies discussed regarding polling place safety and voting procedures directly impact the ability of citizens to cast ballots.

State Election Officials

These officials are responsible for implementing the safety protocols and voting changes discussed during the hearing.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House on the Coronavirus Crisis held a hearing on September 9, 2020, to discuss strategies for maintaining free and fair elections during the pandemic. The session included testimony from public health experts, voting rights advocates, and state election officials.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on September 9, 2020, via Webex.
The session focused on the intersection of public health safety and the constitutional right to vote.
Witnesses included representatives from civil rights organizations, medical experts, and a state election official.
The committee entered several documents into the record, including a staff report on election safety and an article on COVID-19 transmission.
Procedural rules for the virtual hearing required members to keep video on and remain muted when not speaking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

To discuss how to conduct a free, fair, and safe election while managing the risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who testified at the hearing?

Witnesses included actress and activist Kerry Washington, civil rights leaders Kristen Clarke and Mimi Marziani, infectious disease expert Dr. Krutika Kuppali, and Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Virtual Congressional Operations

The document highlights the shift to virtual hearings (Webex) for congressional oversight during the pandemic.

Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis

Connected Entities

personKristen Clarke“Witness, President of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law”Map →

personJay Ashcroft“Witness, Missouri Secretary of State”Map →

personJames E. Clyburn“Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis”Map →

personKrutika Kuppali“Witness, Infectious Diseases Society of America”Map →

personMimi Marziani“Witness, President of Texas Civil Rights Project”Map →

organizationSelect Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis“Congressional body conducting the hearing”Map →

personKerry Washington“Witness, Co-Chair of When We All Vote”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy50
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment20
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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