Civic Register
| 10.20.21

Senate GOP Blocks Democrats' Latest Election Reform Bill

Do you support or oppose Democrats pursuing election reform along party-lines?

What’s the story?

  • Senate Republicans voted Wednesday to defeat a procedural motion that would’ve allowed the chamber to debate Democrats’ latest election reform bill, known as the Freedom to Vote Act.The vote went strictly along party-lines in the evenly-divided Senate, with all Democrats voting in favor and all Republicans opposed. 
  • The motion required 60 votes to overcome the legislative filibuster and allow initial debate to continue, so at least 10 GOP senators would’ve had to cross the aisle and join Democrats. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) changed his vote from “yea” to “nay” so that he can potentially bring the motion up for another vote in the future, making the final margin 49-51.
  • Wednesday’s vote marks the second time Senate Republicans have blocked Democrats’ efforts to overhaul the nation’s election laws this Congress, as a similar procedural motion on the For the People Act also failed on a 50-50 vote in late June. GOP senators had signaled that the Freedom to Vote Act would fail as well when Democratic leadership announced the vote.
  • The vote is likely to escalate calls for Senate Democrats to use their majority to eliminate the legislative filibuster, which they have been stymied from doing by the opposition of Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), despite many Democrats’ recent support of the filibuster when they were in the minority to block GOP abortion and police reform bills, among other items.

What they’re saying

  • Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) previously noted that the Freedom to Vote Act “represents the first time every single Senate Democrat has united on voting rights legislation.” He said Wednesday that it’s untenable for the Senate minority to block debate on Democrats’ election reform bill, foreshadowing a potential increase in pressure on Manchin and Sinema to eliminate the filibuster: 
“What we can’t accept is a situation where one side is calling for bipartisan debate and bipartisan cooperation while the other refuses to even engage in a dialogue. If our Republican colleagues don’t like our ideas they have a responsibility to present their own.”
  • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) spoke on the floor Wednesday and countered that this legislation “is only a compromise in the sense that the left and the far left argued among themselves about exactly how much power to grab in which areas.” He added:
“The Senate knows how to make law in a productive, bipartisan way. We’ve done it this year on multiple subjects. We have done it on election issues themselves in recent memory when there was an actual problem that needed solving and an actually bipartisan process.”


— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: McConnell: Gage Skidmore via Flickr / Creative Commons | Schumer: Senate Democrats via Flickr / Creative Commons)

  • 210
    Rev8Jonathan8Peebles
    11/06/2021

    DAMN REPUBLICANS! I am pissed I was looking foward to voting on this and looking forward to doing something good!

  • 427
    Nan
    10/29/2021

    One of the biggest misconceptions of the election state by state was the lack of understanding of each states unique election rules and regulations which led to mistrust. Bringing all states closer in process and procedure and expanding access for all citizens should be a priority. Republicans have been obstructionists for so long that they can’t look forward to improvements. They are too busy kissing their lobbyists butts and keeping the US from progressing- leaving the US to continue to spiral down into the emerging category.

  • 223
    Douggie76
    10/28/2021

    Why is the GOP a road block to anything that would help their constituents.Oh wait that’s right they belong to the owner dollars

  • 163
    Richard
    10/28/2021

    The election laws are just fine.

  • 162
    Joanne
    10/28/2021

    Everyone who has any doubt about the playbook Republicans are following needs to listen this. Actually EVERYONE needs to listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-then/id1567665859?i=1000539734264 Now and Then podcast from Tuesday October 26,2021: Voting Rights: The Big Picture

  • 162
    Joanne
    10/28/2021

    Without free and fair elections, any potential short-term gains of infrastructure and social programs can be quickly rolled back after 2022 or 2024. If Democrats try to make everything a priority, then nothing is a priority. If the hard/soft infrastructure deal isn't finished within a few days, Democrats MUST move on immediately to saving voting rights. It HAS to be the #1 priority, which means the others must take lower priority. This is a RED LIGHT 🆘

  • 3,405
    Adel
    10/27/2021

    One vote one person! Red, Yellow, Black, White, doesn't matter where you live within the US. or outside of it as long as you kept your citizenship. Stop with the redistricting lines to create further division between people. Let the American people vote! Get out of the way! Get rid of the Electoral College (that was created during a time when most people couldn't read or write), that was the only reason for it. Grow up, move forward, be better people before you destroy us all!

  • 23
    Adiaha
    10/27/2021

    The right to vote is imbedded in the 15th Amendment of the US Constitution. The 1965 Voting Rights Act was to protect against Constitutional violations that obstruct the right to vote. Sadly, Section 5 was dismantled by SCOTUS, which is led to oppressive anti-voting laws in states. The right to vote is a fundamental American right and the John Lewis Freedom to Vote Act protects that constitutional right. Vote to save the democracy by voting for the Freedom to Vote Act. Voting against it is Un-American and an act of violating the Constitution

  • 35
    Frank
    10/27/2021

    There is no need to refine the election process. Maybe require ID and all vote in person.

  • 1,271
    justiceforamerica
    10/26/2021

    Good job Republicans. This is a power grab like everything else the Democrats are doing..

  • 741
    John
    10/26/2021

    The Republican Party Should be really called the Nazi party and I’ve had enough of it.

  • 115
    Bob
    10/26/2021

    The democrats proposed election reform is not bipartisan and deserved to fail as it did. The republicans are calling for reforms that are absolutely needed with voter ID cards, mail in ballots containing more security, and counting machines that cannot be manipulated to cause election fraud. I also demand, one voter, one ballot, one vote counted, and clearly the democrats, do not.

  • 741
    John
    10/25/2021

    Again it’s no surprise Republicans would be against election reform, and here’s a great insight into the republican party right now. Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick offered an up to $1 million reward for anyone who could prove that someone committed voter fraud. And sadly voter fraud was reported a man came in with a disguise and tried to vote twice, for Trump. Yes the person who committed the voter fraud was a Republican! And do you hear the Texas lieutenant governor talking about that? No. Republican party has turned into a party of falsehoods lies conspiracy theories an idiot leaders. It needs to disband and reinvent itself with somebody with some morals and intelligence. Leaders like Mitch McConnell Devon Nunez Marco Rubio Lindsey Graham etc. etc. etc. have drug this party into the dirt.

  • 226
    Ed
    10/25/2021

    Time to kill the filibuster. Congress must be allowed to act in the name of the majority. Minority rights are protected by the Constitution and hence the Courts. As the only true representative of the people, Congress legislate the will of the majority and the filibuster has no use except to inhibit the will of the people.

  • 382
    James
    10/25/2021

    This bill is a Democrat power grab, it also give the congress the right to over ride the authority of the Constitution which give the States the power the run elections. Where does the authority come from that lets congress bypass the Constitution ? It does not Exist, and should not. People in Washington should understand, they work for the people, not their party or any special interest group. We will see in 2022 and 2024.

  • 1,017
    Harry
    10/25/2021

    I do not trust anything coming out of this Congress. Thank the Republicans for avoiding a constitutional challenge, there is statement in our Constitution allowing Congress to weigh in on elections, it is specifically left to the States' Legislatures, not judges or Congress.

  • 137
    Darryl
    10/24/2021

    Let's go Branden!

  • 23
    Grama
    10/23/2021

    It is about time Republicans stand up. This country is broke. Can't you understand that? Sure it would be "nice" to take care of everything the Dems suggest however, there is a point at which we must put a halt to this obscene spending. Everything I have read on that ridiculous spending could wait. YES WAIT! A year, look again. Two years, probably. How about being reasonable and prudent for awhile.

  • 159
    Ray
    10/24/2021

    Republicans are selling our country.

  • 100
    Melvin
    10/24/2021

    The purpose of being a Republic, is to build a democracy and the republicans want to BS everyone