Leaders throughout the state urge the U.S. Senate to pass Senator Manchin’s compromise legislation
West Virginians are thanking Senator Joe Manchin for his leadership in drafting the Freedom to Vote Act, a critical anti-corruption and voting rights bill that would protect the freedom to vote, end dark money, stop partisan gerrymandering, and protect our elections from sabotage, including ensuring our trusted local election officials are safe from harassment so they can count every vote and that voters are protected from intimidation.
Senator Manchin drafted the Freedom to Vote Act with Senators Warnock, Merkley, Klobuchar, and others. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that a vote on the bill is imminent and could happen as early as next week.
See below for coverage of West Virginians praising Senator Manchin’s leadership and expressing support for the Freedom to Vote Act:
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Editorial: Congress needs to pass the Freedom to Vote Act, October 3, 2021, The Times West Virginian.
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The compromised bill takes all of the best practices from the two previous bills, while still working to prevent district gerrymandering, sets rules for disclosing ‘dark money’ and sets a standard for how election audits are to be conducted… We urge Manchin to continue to work with his Republican colleagues in the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote Act because everyone should have confidence in democracy.
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West Virginians push for passage of modified voting rights bill, October 1, 2021, The Times West Virginian.
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Becky Ceperley, of Charleston, former president of the National League of Women Voters, was firm in saying that a bill like this is crucial. “It’s imperative that we pass some comprehensive voting rights legislation and this Freedom to Vote Act is a prime example,” Ceperley said. “It touches many of the areas that are necessary to make the people confident that they can vote.”
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“Dark money has become a primary funding source for these campaigns,” said Rick Staton, former majority leader of the W.Va. House of Delegates. “So you have people who are discouraged from running because they don’t have funds or access to funds. Right now we have people in Congress literally funded by special interest groups.”
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Supporters of elections reform bill call effort good compromise, October 8, 2021, The Parkersburg News & Sentinel.
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“There’s been significant changes from the original act,” [former W.Va. House of Delegates Majority Leader Rick] Staton said. “Most of it, frankly, reflects what we do here in West Virginia.”
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Manchin Elections Bill Could Get Vote in Senate This Month, October 11, 2021, The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register.
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“It is still a very comprehensive piece of legislation that we think needs to be passed,” said Ceperley, a former president of the League of Women Voters. “I had hoped that Sen. Manchin would step up and take a leadership role and that’s exactly what he did.”
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