Democratic Senators Reintroduce John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

Senate Democrats, led by Senators Raphael Warnock and Dick Durbin, have reintroduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore and expand protections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was weakened by the 2013 Supreme Court Shelby County decision. The legislation would require states and localities with recent histories of voting rights violations to obtain federal approval before changing voting laws, mandate same-day voter registration, prevent voter roll purges for missed elections, and provide legal remedies for disenfranchised voters. Named after civil rights icon John Lewis, the bill honors his legacy from the 1965 Selma march and aims to address ongoing efforts, including gerrymandering and restrictive voting policies, that undermine democratic participation, especially in communities of color. Despite passing the House twice, the bill faces an uphill battle in the Republican-led Senate, where it has repeatedly failed to overcome the filibuster, and is unlikely to become law while Republicans control the White House or Congress. Democrats emphasize the urgency of protecting voting rights as fundamental to democracy and signal their commitment to advancing the legislation once they regain congressional control. The bill's reintroduction also coincides with the 60th anniversary of the original Voting Rights Act, underscoring the ongoing struggle for equitable voting access in the United States.