Republicans in the Senate obstruct voting rights legislation, aligning with two Democrats to thwart filibuster modification.

• Senate Republicans blocked voting rights legislation Wednesday night.
• Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, both Democrats, opposed changes to the filibuster rules in the Senate.
• After the votes, it is uncertain how Democrats will proceed, but some Republicans have shown a willingness to reform the electoral vote counting process.

On Wednesday night, the Senate rejected two comprehensive voting rights bills and halted proposed changes to its rules following months of contentious debate over the extent to which Congress must safeguard U.S. democracy.

Republicans opposed a bill that would increase early and mail-in voting and make Election Day a federal holiday, along with other changes. The motion to end debate on the voting rights bill was defeated in a 51-49 vote, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer abstaining for procedural reasons.

The vote on changing Senate rules was postponed by a 52-48 margin. Democrats Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia voted with all Republicans to maintain the current filibuster rules.

If GOP senators were to use up their speeches, the Senate could pass voting rights bills with a simple majority, even if they actively spoke against them.

The stalemate prevents Democrats from enacting crucial election reforms to safeguard ballot access following the approval of restrictive voting measures in Georgia and Texas by GOP-controlled legislatures last year. Advocates for voting rights legislation across the country, particularly people of color who are likely to be disproportionately affected by state laws, have pressured Democrats to act before the upcoming November midterm elections, which will determine the control of Congress.

Schumer urged a yes vote on Wednesday, appealing to members who value the experiment of self-rule, are horrified by voter suppression, and believe the chamber can defend democracy in its time of need.

The Democratic caucus has not agreed on the need to scrap the filibuster to pass voting rights bills, despite all 50 senators in the caucus having previously backed them.

The proposed rules changes have been urged by democratic leaders, including President Joe Biden, who has spent over 30 years in the Senate.

Biden expressed disappointment that the Senate did not defend democracy after the votes.

He declared that his administration would investigate every possible option and employ all available resources to defend democracy.

After a presidential election, some Republicans have expressed a willingness to reform the electoral vote counting process, making it more difficult to overturn the outcome.

The Electoral Count Act would address attempts by former President Donald Trump and his supporters to challenge Biden's 2020 election win through allegations of widespread voter fraud.

When Congress counted electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, Trump's allies pressured former Vice President Mike Pence to intervene after courts rejected Trump's repeated attempts to overturn state election results.

Trump and his allies tried to reverse the presidential result, but Pence did not participate in the effort.

Biden stated on Wednesday that he has no hesitation to engage with any Republican regarding changes to the electoral vote tallying process.

The GOP has opposed any federal election laws and cautioned that abolishing the filibuster would drastically alter the Senate's functioning for an extended period.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stated on Wednesday that it is crucial for the Senate to prevent the current factionalism from harming our democracy, our center, and our republic permanently.

Democrats attempted to push through legislation comprising two voting rights bills, namely the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

The plan proposes to increase early and absentee voting and establish automatic voter registration nationwide. It aims to simplify compliance with state voter ID laws and reinstate the right to vote for individuals released from prison.

It would also enshrine Election Day as a national holiday.

The second bill, named after a late civil rights activist and congressman, seeks to restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that were weakened by a 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder. This decision invalidated a provision of the law that required certain jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination to obtain Justice Department approval before making changes to their voting rules.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and one of three Black senators, countered GOP claims that a proposed federal voting law would encroach on states' authority to manage elections by pointing out that the principle of states' rights has been invoked to justify discriminatory policies in some of the country's most troubling periods.

He stated that passing voting rights legislation is not a matter of policy, but rather a fundamental issue concerning democracy.