Democrats corral Manchin on election overhaul measure

Top Senate Democrats struck a deal with key centrist Sen. Joe Manchin to secure his vote to proceed on a major election and voting overhaul bill that Republicans plan to filibuster.

Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, appeared to be the lone holdout among Democrats ahead of Tuesday’s vote to get on a bill that would rewrite campaign, election, and voting laws.

DEMOCRATS HOPE GOP MOVE TO BLOCK ELECTION OVERHAUL BILL WILL PROMPT END OF FILIBUSTER

“I’m pleased to report that Sen. Manchin and I have come to an agreement,” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday. “He came to my office about two hours ago, and we worked it out.”

Manchin’s support means Democrats will vote unanimously to proceed, but it’s short of the 60 votes needed to begin debate. That would require the backing of 10 Republicans, and so far, no GOP senator plans to vote for the measure.

Instead, the switch will serve as an important marker for Democrats who are weighing a vote to end the 60-vote threshold.

“Our party is united behind getting voting rights legislation passed,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, said.

The Senate will bring up the measure later this afternoon.

The bill would overhaul campaign finance laws, ban voter ID requirements, extend early voting days, reform redistricting, and enable ballot harvesting.

Democrats say the bill would counter new voter laws implemented in some states and would make voting more accessible.

The measure has passed the Democratic-led House twice, most recently in March.

Republicans say the bill is a political power grab that would federalize elections, increase voter fraud, and tilt the election process in favor of Democrats.

“What this is really about is an effort for the federal government to take over the way we conduct elections in this country,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said Tuesday. “It is a solution in search of a problem. And so finally today, we will put an end to it.”

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Tuesday’s vote will mark the third time this year the GOP filibustered the Democratic agenda, and party lawmakers are ramping up pressure on reluctant centrist Senate Democrats to vote to end the 60-vote threshold.

In striking a deal with Manchin, Schumer agreed to bring up Manchin’s proposed changes to the election overhaul bill as an amendment. The changes include requiring some form of voter identification and making Election Day a national holiday.