The offices of shadow representative and shadow senator are elective offices in the District of Columbia. ...

In 1978, the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment was proposed to the Constitution of the United States that would have given the District of Columbia the same representation in Congress as a state. Anticipating the passage of the Amendment, the citizens of the District held a constitutional convention for the post-amendment state of New Columbia. It produced a statehood constitution that was duly adopted by the voters in 1982. This constitution created the elective positions of shadow representative and shadow senator with the intention that these individuals become the United States representative and United States senator upon the ratification of the amendment. However, the amendment failed of ratification, being approved by only 16 states out of the 38 required before the ratification period expired. Nonetheless, the District government has maintained these positions to help in lobbying for D.C. statehood. 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... The District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme... The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. ... New Columbia is the name of the proposed U.S. state that would be created by the admission of the District of Columbia into the Union as the 51st state according to legislation offered starting in the 98th Congress in 1983 and routinely re-introduced in succeeding Congresses. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ...

The shadow representative should not be confused with the non-voting delegate that represents the District in Congress. A Delegate to Congress is a non-voting representative of a U.S. territory in the United States House of Representatives. ...