WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans filibustered a major voting bill Wednesday that would allow automatic and same-day voter registration and make Election Day a holiday.
The 49 – 51 vote on the procedural motion was short of the 60 needed to advance the legislation to the next stage, marking the second time this year that Republicans have prevented a Democratic-backed voting bill from moving forward.
The measure, known as the Freedom to Vote Act, had full Democratic support Wednesday after the party scaled back an earlier, more expansive bill to win the backing of centrist Sen. Joe Manchin, D‑W.Va. All 50 Democratic-voting senators backed the bill, but Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D‑N.Y., changed his vote to “no” to allow him to request another vote in the future, a common procedural maneuver.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R‑Ky., had vowed that Republicans would oppose the measure.
“It is my hope and anticipation that none of us will vote for this latest iteration of Democratic efforts to take over how every American votes all over the country,” he said Tuesday.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, the Republican who has been most willing to engage with Democrats over voting rights, explained her vote to block the bill earlier, saying she was more interested in the House-passed John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Read the full story here;https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-vote-major-voting-rights-bill-republicans-promise-block-n1281966?fbclid=IwAR0eqQ_VmfB5IrQ3puZgBky_zTMLnjg0hd7rHHPsIasQNNDzVnckjgCtTAI