Senate Democrats' Voting Rights Push Fails Again

Second Attempt to Pass Legislation Stalls

Washington, D.C. - Senate Democrats' last-ditch efforts to pass voting rights legislation failed on Wednesday night, marking another setback in their attempts to overcome Republican opposition. A second attempt to pass the legislation on January 19, 2022, as part of a combined bill with the Freedom to Vote Act, also failed, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance the bill.

Background on the Legislation

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act aims to restore and update the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protected against racial discrimination in voting. The Freedom to Vote Act expands access to voting by measures such as same-day registration and automatic voter registration. Both measures have been approved by the House of Representatives.

Republican Opposition

Republicans have consistently opposed the voting rights legislation, arguing that it is unnecessary and would lead to voter fraud. They have also criticized the Freedom to Vote Act as a federal overreach that would undermine state election laws.