The U.S. House passed H.R.1, known as the “For the People Act” earlier this month, and the Senate has begun committee hearings for that chamber’s equivalent bill: S.1. The democracy reform package—which would set a floor for ballot access and election procedures across the states—faces a steep climb in the Senate. That’s because 60 votes (not just a majority) will be needed to end debate and force the senators to vote on the bill itself, unless the majority reforms the current filibuster practice, which has chilled legislation in recent years.
Wisconsinites have a lot to gain if H.R.1 becomes the law of the land. Our state law already enshrines one major asset of this reform: Election Day Registration, which allows qualified residents to register and cast a ballot on the same day. But other changes would expand voting rights further, and make our elections more secure. Here are some of the things H.R.1 would change for federal elections in Wisconsin:
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Requires minimum availability of drop boxes across the state, based on population
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Expands early voting (Wisconsin currently has limited in-person absentee voting before Election Day)
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Restores voting rights to those who have served their time, re-enfranchising Wisconsinites with felony convictions when they return to the community
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Establishes a statewide ballot tracking system, so voters can follow their ballot’s status through the voting and counting process
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Ends partisan gerrymandering for Congressional districts
See the top ways H.R.1 would modernize and secure federal elections in our state in the Voter Protection Program’s Wisconsin Fact Sheet.
And check out VPP’s full report to learn about the impact in other key states.
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