<P> Citizens of the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., have not been apportioned a representative or US senator in Congress . This is because D.C. is a federal district and not a state and under the Constitution, only states are apportioned congresspersons . </P> <P> District of Columbia citizens had voting rights removed in 1801 by Congress, when Maryland delegated that portion of its land to Congress . Congress incrementally removed effective local control or home rule by 1871 . It restored some home rule in 1971, but maintained the authority to override any local laws . Washington, D.C., does not have full representation in the U.S. House or Senate . The Twenty - third Amendment, restoring U.S. Presidential Election after a 164 - year - gap, is the only known limit to Congressional "exclusive legislature" from Article I - 8 - 17, forcing Congress to enforce for the first time Amendments 14, 15, 19, 24, and 26 . Amendment 23 gave the District of Columbia three electors and hence the right to vote for President, but not full U.S. Congresspersons nor U.S. Senators . In 1978, Congress proposed a constitutional amendment that would have restored to the District a full seat for representation in the Congress as well . This amendment failed to receive ratification by sufficient number of states within the seven years required . </P> <P> As of 2013, a bill is pending in Congress that would treat the District of Columbia as "a congressional district for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives", and permit United States citizens residing in the capital to vote for a member to represent them in the House of Representatives . The District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act, S. 160, 111th Cong . was passed by the U.S. Senate on February 26, 2009, by a vote of 61 - 37 . </P> <P> On April 1, 1993, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States received a petition from Timothy Cooper on behalf of the Statehood Solidarity Committee (the "Petitioners") against the government of the United States (the "State" or "United States"). The petition indicated that it was presented on behalf of the members of the Statehood Solidarity Committee and all other U.S. citizens resident in the District of Columbia . The petition alleged that the United States was responsible for violations of Articles II (right to equality before law) and XX (right to vote and to participate in government) of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man in connection with the inability of citizens of the District of Columbia to vote for and elect a representative to the U.S. Congress . On December 29, 2003, The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights having examined the information and arguments provided by the parties on the question of admissibility . Without prejudging the merits of the matter, the Commission decided to admit the present petition in respect of Articles II and XX of the American Declaration . In addition, the Commission concluded that the United States violates the Petitioners' rights under Articles II and XX of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man by denying District of Columbia citizens an effective opportunity to participate in their federal legislature . </P>

In the state constitutions that formed during or after the revolution was everyone allowed to vote