https://www.notus.org/house/republicans-proxy-voting-house
It’s an irritating situation for GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who has led a bipartisan effort to allow new parents to vote by proxy. She experienced health complications during her pregnancy in 2023 that prevented her from traveling to Washington.
“Every single person on the floor, I think with the exception of like, five, has done it,” she told NOTUS when asked about members handing each other their voting cards, specifying that she’s only seen it happen on the floor or by the voting machines. “Technically, that’s vote by proxy,” she said.
Luna added that it was more reason for her colleagues to support her vote-by-proxy resolution.
A House leadership aide told NOTUS that GOP leaders are concerned that allowing proxy voting in special circumstances could lead to a “slippery slope dynamic,” and that it would be an impediment to “member collegiality.” During the pandemic, some members claimed they were absent and needed to vote by proxy due to health concerns or pandemic-related travel disruption, but they were campaigning for other offices back home — in person — at the same time.