Elections have become one of the most polarizing issues in American politics, now U.S. Senate candidate US Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) is pressing Senators to vote in favor of the Freedom to Vote Act, which is the senate version of the House For The People Act.
The measure was blocked by Senate Republicans by a vote of 49-51.
With the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the For The People Act, my Every Vote Counts Act, Congress is hitting election integrity issues hard before the 2022 midterms.
The proposed senate Freedom to Vote Act was sponsored in the Senate by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and shockingly, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).
Proponents of the bill have claimed it will aid in making major steps towards strengthening Democracy, promoting racial justice and equity for Americans.
Republicans claimed that Democrats were trying to unilaterally and completely change federal voting laws, and all but federalize voting.
Rep. Demings Tweeted about the bill, stating, "We have to get this done.":
The #FreedomToVoteAct is the latest in a long series of voting rights legislation we have fought for. The John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the For The People Act, my Every Vote Counts Act, and more. We have to get this done.
— Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) October 20, 2021
But, Senate Republicans voted unanimously against the measure in a total 49-51 vote. Democrats would need 10 Republicans to join them in order to push the legislation through.
The legislation was negotiated by a group of Senate Democrats and includes measures such as requiring at least 15 consecutive days of early voting in every state, mandated same-day registration and voting at all polling sites by 2024, and permanent mail-in voting.
In addition, the bill would not mandate a prospective voter to show identification in order to vote.
Demings is currently challenging incumbent Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the 2022 midterm election. Senator Rubio has blasted Demings recently for backing legislation such as the Freedom to Vote Act and the previous For the People Act, famously calling her a "Marxist."
The Republican National Committee (RNC) was quick to respond to the failed vote.
“Senators Rubio and Scott blocked the Democrats’ latest attempt to take over state and local elections by opposing the Freedom to “Cheat” Act,"said RNC Spokesperson Julia Friedland in a statement. Floridians already know how to run their own elections without interference from power-hungry DC Democrats -- look no further than SB 90 which made it easier to vote and harder to cheat in the Sunshine State.”
