Senate Democrats plan to bring up the Freedom to Vote Act for a vote next week. According to Huff Post, this revamped voting rights legislation sets up a clash over the future of the filibuster.
The legislation was first announced by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) who hopes he can find Republican support.
“I hope that our Republican colleagues will join us in good faith, and as I have said before, if they have ideas on how to improve the legislation, we are prepared to hear them, debate them, and if they are in line with the goals of the legislation, include them in the bill. But Republicans must come to the table to have that conversation and at the very least vote to open debate,” says Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
At least 18 Republican-led states have enacted laws restricting voting access this year, following Republican former President Donald Trump’s false claims the 2020 election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud, reports Reuters.
The Freedom to Vote Act would protect our elections from interference, dark money, partisan gerrymandering, and voter suppression.
The provisions of the bill would include:
- automatic voter registration and online boater registration
- election day holiday
- at least 15 days of early voting
- same day voter registration
- Federal minimum standards on the vote by mail and drop boxes
- standards for voter identification
- preventing state election subversion
As reported by Huff Post, the only way to pass the bill is for a unanimous Democratic caucus to change the filibuster rules.
The bill would require 60 votes to move forward. Failure to pass this bill could result in Senate Democrats finding a path around the filibuster that requires a super majority vote.
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