WASHINGTON — Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin voted today with his party to proceed with elections legislation he had vowed to oppose.
Capito
But a vote on a watered down S1 failed to advance as a Republican filibuster failed to carry the legislation forward without the necessary 60 votes. The vote was 50-50.
Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito voted with the GOP
Manchin released a statement following his vote, saying he voted for a new version of the bill after finding common ground with fellow Democrats on a substitute amendment.
"This compromise legislation makes it easier to vote by expanding voter access through early voting and vote by mail for those who are eligible and unable to vote in person," Manchin said in the statement.
He said the compromise includes voter ID requirements.
"...This commonsense compromise seeks to end dark money and increase transparency behind campaign funding by requiring the disclosure of donors making contributions of $10,000 or more," he said.
"These reasonable changes have moved the bill forward and to a place worthy of debate on the Senate floor. This process would allow both Republicans and Democrats to offer amendments to further change the bill."
Manchin took a shot at Republicans for refusing to allow debate "despite the reasonable changes made to focus the bill on the core issues facing our democracy."
"As I have said before, the right to vote is fundamental to our American democracy and protecting that right should not be about party or politics," he said. "I remain committed to finding a bipartisan pathway forward because the future of our democracy is worth it.”
Results of a weekend poll commissioned by The West Virginia Record showed that nearly two-thirds (63%) of West Virginia voters oppose the bill.