Democrats press for broader voter access as GOP resists
3 years, 7 months ago

Democrats press for broader voter access as GOP resists

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Republicans in the U.S. Senate mounted an aggressive case against Democrats’ sweeping election and voter-access legislation, pushing to roll back proposals for automatic registration, 24-hour ballot drop boxes and other changes in an increasingly charged national debate. McConnell declared, “Our democracy is not in crisis” and said he wasn’t about to cede control of elections to new laws “under the false pretense of saving it.” With Democrats holding the White House and narrow control of Congress, they see the legislation as crucial — perhaps their best chance to counter efforts by state-level Republicans who have seized on former President Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election to push ballot restrictions. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have both said they oppose making changes to the Senate’s filibuster rules, which would be needed to maneuver the bill past unified Republican opposition. “These bills moving in state capitals across America are not empty threats, they are real efforts to stop people from voting,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat and chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee.

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History of this topic

Republicans set to push mail ballots, voting methods they previously blasted as recipes for fraud
1 year, 6 months ago

Republicans set to push mail ballots, voting methods they previously blasted as recipes for fraud

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — After years of criticizing mail voting and so-called ballot harvesting as ripe for fraud, Republicans at the top of the party want to change course. It marks a notable shift from the party’s rhetoric since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump was routinely sowing doubt about mail voting and encouraging his voters to wait and vote in-person on Election …

Democrats’ elections bill offered voting changes and more
2 years, 11 months ago

Democrats’ elections bill offered voting changes and more

Associated Press  

The sweeping elections bill that has collapsed in the Senate was about far more than voting. Still, Biden said he was “not deterred” and he pledged to “explore every measure and use every tool at our disposal to stand up for democracy.” A look at what was in the bill: VOTING PROTECTIONS Advocates say new voting protections would counter a …

What’s in Democrats’ US voting-rights legislation?
2 years, 11 months ago

What’s in Democrats’ US voting-rights legislation?

Al Jazeera  

The pending bill seeks to limit ‘gerrymandering’, make voting easier, and end ‘dark money’ donations, among other things. Here are the main elements of the Democrats’ proposed bill, which passed the House of Representatives on Thursday but faces likely defeat in the Senate, where Republicans are poised to block a measure they call a partisan power grab: Limits ‘gerrymandering’ Currently, …

Republican legislatures want to jam through more voting restrictions ahead of 2022 midterms
2 years, 11 months ago

Republican legislatures want to jam through more voting restrictions ahead of 2022 midterms

Salon  

After Republican legislators in 19 states passed 34 laws restricting ballot access in 2021, largely fueled by Donald Trump's election lies, more than a half-dozen more states are gearing up to go even further ahead of this year's midterm elections. At least four states have already pre-filed seven bills that would "initiate or allow illegitimate partisan reviews" of election results, …

EXPLAINER: What’s next now that GOP has blocked voting bill?
3 years, 6 months ago

EXPLAINER: What’s next now that GOP has blocked voting bill?

Associated Press  

Senate Republicans have blocked debate of a sweeping overhaul of how elections are run in the U.S. The bill was pushed by congressional Democrats who argued it was needed to counter a spate of new GOP laws this year tightening voting rules in the states. Sinema supports the voting reform bill but argued in a recent opinion piece that the …

Senate Republicans block voting rights legislation
3 years, 6 months ago

Senate Republicans block voting rights legislation

The Hindu  

A procedural vote to begin debate on a voting rights bill backed by Democrats, failed to pass the U.S. Senate on Monday, after Senators voted 50-50 along party lines. The ‘For the People Act’, which sought to make access to voting easier across the country, in response to Republican-backed measures to tighten voting laws in several states, met with a …

EXPLAINER: How Texas Republicans aim to make voting harder
3 years, 6 months ago

EXPLAINER: How Texas Republicans aim to make voting harder

Associated Press  

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas took a major step Sunday toward becoming the nation’s largest state where the GOP is making voting harder following the 2020 elections, with the Senate approving a bill that would empower poll watchers, create criminal penalties and add new restrictions on where, when and how to vote. Here are some details: WHAT THE LEGISLATION MEANS FOR …

Democrats press for broader voter access as GOP resists
3 years, 7 months ago

Democrats press for broader voter access as GOP resists

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Republicans in the U.S. Senate mounted an aggressive case Tuesday against Democrats’ sweeping election and voter-access legislation, pushing to roll back proposals for automatic registration, 24-hour ballot drop boxes and other changes in an increasingly charged national debate. McConnell declared, “Our democracy is not in crisis” and said he wasn’t about to cede control of elections to new …

'The Stakes Could Not Be Higher': Senate Panel Debates Voting Overhaul
3 years, 7 months ago

'The Stakes Could Not Be Higher': Senate Panel Debates Voting Overhaul

NPR  

'The Stakes Could Not Be Higher': Senate Panel Debates Voting Overhaul Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP The Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday held a contentious markup of legislation to revamp the nation's voting and campaign finance rules, laying bare the deep partisan divide over how elections should be run. Among their biggest objections in …

Some Republicans worry voting limits will hurt the GOP, too
3 years, 7 months ago

Some Republicans worry voting limits will hurt the GOP, too

Associated Press  

As Republicans march ahead with their campaign to tighten voting laws in political battlegrounds, some in their party are worried the restrictions will backfire by making it harder for GOP voters to cast ballots. The restrictions backed by Republicans in Georgia, Florida, Iowa, Texas and Arizona often take aim at mail voting, a method embraced by voters from both parties …

Despite business warnings, GOP moves ahead with voting bills
3 years, 7 months ago

Despite business warnings, GOP moves ahead with voting bills

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. More than 50 companies and business organizations, including some in Texas, released an open …

Democrats launch Senate battle for expanded voting rights
3 years, 8 months ago

Democrats launch Senate battle for expanded voting rights

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Democrats renewed their efforts Wednesday to muscle through the largest overhaul of U.S. elections in a generation, setting up a fight with Republicans that could bring partisan tensions to a climax in the evenly split Senate and become a defining issue for President Joe Biden. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., making a rare appearance at a hearing, …

Opinion: The irony in the GOP trying to restrict voting rights
3 years, 9 months ago

Opinion: The irony in the GOP trying to restrict voting rights

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Fred Wertheimer is president of Democracy 21, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that works to strengthen US democracy and empower citizens in the political process. Fred Wertheimer courtesy Fred Wertheimer As this legislation moves to the US Senate for consideration, Republicans in state legislatures around the country are racing to enact new laws to restrict voter access that could …

House passes sweeping voting rights bill over GOP opposition
3 years, 9 months ago

House passes sweeping voting rights bill over GOP opposition

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — House Democrats passed sweeping voting and ethics legislation over unanimous Republican opposition, advancing to the Senate what would be the largest overhaul of the U.S. election law in at least a generation. This bill “will put a stop at the voter suppression that we’re seeing debated right now,” said Rep. Nikema Williams, a new congresswoman who represents the …

Democratic voting bill would make biggest changes in decades
3 years, 9 months ago

Democratic voting bill would make biggest changes in decades

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — As Congress begins debate this week on sweeping voting and ethics legislation, Democrats and Republicans can agree on one thing: If signed into law, it would usher in the biggest overhaul of U.S. elections law in at least a generation. “What’s worse, it does this even though states have been traditionally allowed to generally run elections however they …

GOP lawmakers seek tougher voting rules after record turnout
3 years, 10 months ago

GOP lawmakers seek tougher voting rules after record turnout

Associated Press  

AUSTIN, Texas — Republican lawmakers in statehouses across the country are moving swiftly to attack some of the voting methods that fueled the highest turnout for a presidential election in 50 years. In last year’s presidential election, nearly 70% of all ballots cast nationwide came before Election Day, with an estimated 108 million people voting through the mail, early in-person …

Democrats make federal election standards a top priority
3 years, 11 months ago

Democrats make federal election standards a top priority

Associated Press  

Democrats plan to move quickly on one of the first bills of the new Congress, citing the need for federal election standards and other reforms to shore up the foundations of American democracy after a tumultuous post-election period and deadly riot at the Capitol. “I cannot think of a more timely moment to start moving on democracy reform.” The legislation …

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