D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton. Photo by IntangibleArts

As part of a larger bill to reform the federal Hatch Act, today D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced language that would allow the District to operate by its own local version of the law like many other states do.

The Hatch Act prohibits federal civil servants from engaging in partisan activities. But because of the District’s status as a glorified federal agency, it has fallen under the act’s purview—even though the D.C. Council moved to pass its own version of the law.

Much to chagrin of Norton and other D.C. officials, the Office of the Special Counsel has inconsistently applied the Hatch Act in the District; ANC commissioners have occasionally been told that they can’t run for higher office, for one. During this year’s run-up to the Ward 5 special election, there was plenty of chatter on local listservs about whether or not sitting ANC commissioners could run; Bloomingdale ANC John Salatti resigned his seat to run for the position. (He has since dropped out of the race.)

Late last year the U.S. Office of Special Counsel asked Congress to update the law, which is 72 years old and criticized for being out of touch with current political campaigns.

Norton has tried this before, but was stymied by the Senate.