WASHINGTON — Proxy voting has been both a blessing and a curse for House members on the campaign trail this season.
Members have used the practice to their advantage, jetting off to make in-person appearances on the campaign trail. But they have also faced backlash, with opponents accusing them of voting in their “pajamas” or “phoning it in.”
Renewed several times, proxy voting was first authorized in May 2020 to help protect House members from COVID-19. Lawmakers must first sign a letter attesting they are “unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency.” After that, they can designate a colleague to announce their votes on the floor without needing to be in Washington at all.
