The Independent View: U.S. House Begins Review of Contested IA Congressional Election

On March 10th, the House Administration Committee Tabled Mariannette Miller-Meeks' (R-IA, 2nd Distrct) Motion to Dismiss Rita Hart's (D-IA, 2nd District)) Petition and Voted to move forward with an Investigation, after which it will Submit a Report to the Full House of Representatives and a Simple Majority Vote of the Full House will Decide the Outcome of the Election. “The American people deserve to know who actually won this election,” said Committee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA, 19th District). “And the people of Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District deserve to be represented by that person.”

Hart has asked the Democratically Controlled U.S. House to investigate and Overturn the Race that State Officials say she Lost to Miller-Meeks by Six Votes out of roughly 400,000 cast following a Districtwide Recount in all 24 Counties. Iowa's 2nd Congressional District covers most of the Southeastern part of the State including: Appanoose, Cedar, Clarke, Clinton, Davis, Decatur, Des Moines, Henry, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Lucas, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington, and Wayne Counties.

Hart’s Campaign has identified 22 Ballots it claims were Legally Cast but Not Counted, due to Election Worker Error. Had the 22 Ballots been tallied, Hart, of Wheatland, argues she would have Won by Nine Votes.

Miller-Meeks was Provisionally Seated as a New Member of Congress after a Recount showed her winning by Six Votes. Hart announced, on December 2nd 2020, that she would Contest the Election with the House Administration Committee.

The November 3rd 2020 Election was the Narrowest Margin of Victory in a U.S. House Race since 1984.

After the November 3rd 2020, General Election, Three Recounts were conducted. Iowa Secretary of State, Paul Pate, ordered Recounts in Jasper and Lucas Counties, and Hart Requested a Full Recount of Votes in all 24 Counties in the District. After this last recount, Miller-Meeks was certified as the winner by a margin of Six votes.

Forgoing further Legal Action in the State, Hart announced that she would Contest the Election with the House Administration Committee. The Procedure would allow Hart and Miller-Meeks to state their Cases, use Depositions, and Subpoena Witnesses and Documents. On January 21st, 2021, Miller-Meeks filed a Motion calling on Congress to Dismiss Hart's Ptition.

Historically, most Contested Election Cases heard by the Committee have been Dismissed. Out of 107 Contested Election Cases filed between 1933 and 2009, the Candidate who Contested their Election only won Three times.

In a statement, Hart said “When we know there were a lot of votes that were not examined it’s just so crucial that we get this right and we make sure every person’s vote was counted.” Miller-Meeks said that Every Legal Vote was already Counted and that Hart wants to "not follow the rules of Iowa law. She wants a partisan political process in Washington D.C. to override Iowa law."

The following Timeline includes Events during the Recount(S) and Contested Election Process.

Dec. 22nd, 2020: Hart filed a Notice of Contest in which she says that 22 Ballots were Unfairly Excluded. According to the Filing, Eleven of the Ballots were Excluded due to Errors by Poll Workers and another 11 were Wrongly Excluded because of Unsealed or Damaged Envelopes, having the Voter's Signature in the Wrong Place, or being left in a Drop Box outside the County. Marc Elias, Hart's Lawyer, said that “Although it is admittedly tempting to close the curtain on the 2020 election cycle, prematurely ending this contest would disenfranchise Iowa voters and award the congressional seat to the candidate who received fewer lawful votes."

Nov. 10th, 2020: Iowa Secretary of State, Paul Pate (R), Requested a Second Recount, this one in Lucas County, after the County Auditor found One of the Precinct's Vote Totals had Not been Included in the County's Results.

Nov. 6th, 2020: Iowa Secretary of State, Paul Pate (R), Requested a Recount in Jasper County after Jasper County Auditor, Dennis Parrott, told the State that a Human Error had Resulted in 591 Election Day Ballots from One Precinct being Counted Incorrectly. The Jasper County Board of Supervisors agreed to the Recount of around 19,000 Ballots. A Countywide Administrative Recount and a Hand Recount in the Precinct where the Error Originated were Ordered.