{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sykes.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-sykes-denied-opportunity-to-question-summit-county-election-director-during-congressional-hearing-on-election-observation", "Rep. Sykes Denied Opportunity to Question Summit County Election Director During Congressional Hearing on Election Observation", "2026-07-15", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "OH", "Emilia Strong Sykes", "S001223", "sykes.house.gov", "sykes", "https://sykes.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Despite Wednesday\u2019s House Committee on Administration\u2019s hearing featuring testimony from the election director responsible for administering elections in Ohio\u2019s 13th Congressional District, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) was denied the opportunity to participate in the hearing and question the witness.\n\nThe Subcommittee on Elections held a hearing titled \u201cElection Observation: Best Practices and Congress\u2019s Role,\u201d which examined the role of election observers in promoting transparency and confidence in the electoral process. The hearing featured testimony from Lance Reed, Director of the Summit County Board of Elections, which administers elections for voters across Ohio\u2019s 13th Congressional District.\n\nDuring his testimony, Reed discussed the importance of transparency in elections and the role observers play in ensuring election officials are carrying out their responsibilities with integrity. Reed also highlighted Summit County\u2019s experience with a congressional election observer during the November 2024 election, stating that the Board of Elections had a positive experience with the observer assigned to monitor the process.\n\nRep. Sykes wanted to question Reed directly about election administration in Ohio\u2019s 13th Congressional District, including several issues affecting voters in Summit County that were not addressed during the hearing.\n\n\u201cMy constituents deserve answers from the people responsible for administering their elections,\u201d said Rep. Sykes. \u201cDirector Reed was before Congress to discuss election administration in Summit County, yet I was denied the opportunity to ask him questions about issues that directly affect the voters I represent. Oversight only works when elected representatives have the ability to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and get answers. That is how we build trust in our elections and ensure every voter in Ohio\u2019s 13th Congressional District can have confidence in the process.\u201d\n\nRep. Sykes intended to ask Director Reed about:\n\nThe delayed reporting of election results following the 2024 election and what steps the Summit County Board of Elections is taking to ensure voters receive timely results in future elections;\n\nCommunication issues cited by election officials as contributing to delays in processing and reporting absentee ballots;\n\nThe 2024 effort to challenge Rep. Sykes\u2019 voter eligibility based on information contained in her husband\u2019s financial disclosure form;\n\nWhether similar voter challenges involving elected officials have resulted in hearings or investigations by the Summit County Board of Elections; and\n\nWhether the investigation and review of the challenge to Rep. Sykes\u2019 voter eligibility represented an appropriate use of taxpayer resources.\n\nRep. Sykes submitted her questions for the congressional record to ensure the concerns of Ohio\u2019s 13th Congressional District voters received the attention and consideration they deserve.", 1, "2026-07-16T07:21:44Z", "2026-07-16T07:23:13Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sykes.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-sykes-denied-opportunity-to-question-summit-county-election-director-during-congressional-hearing-on-election-observation"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.2872048430144787, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}