How West Virginia Progressives Are Pushing Joe Manchin On Voting Reform
A local coalition hopes to use praise to win their senator s support for the For the People Act. But is it too late?
Any legislation that Democrats hope to pass and put on President Joe Biden’s desk needs Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) support first. The chances for his vote seem to be slipping away for the For the People Act, a sweeping election reform package.
But the legislation’s supporters, particularly progressives in Manchin’s home state of West Virginia, aren’t giving up.
Despite large coalitions of national groups organizing the grassroots campaign to pass the bill, the campaign to win Manchin’s support has largely been a local affair. A coalition of West Virginia groups is working to educate West Virginians and Manchin’s office about the bill and why he should support it.
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House Judiciary Chairman Moore Capito leads a meeting of the committee. (Perry Bennett/West Virginia Legislative Photography)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. The bill proposing several changes in state election laws will not be approved by the legislature this session.
Moore Capito
House of Delegates Judiciary Committee Chair Moore Capito said Wednesday on MetroNews “Talkline” there wasn’t enough time left to deal with Senate Bill 565.
“We have a lot of bills in judiciary and unfortunately didn’t have time to address the issues in that bill this year,” Capito said.
The state Senate passed the bill two weeks ago. It called for changes in the early voting period, reworked the time period when names could be removed from voting rolls and altered the DMV voter registration program.
Staff writer
CHARLESTON A bill dealing with concerns raised by county clerks and making changes to West Virginia’s election laws received pushback Monday from progressive opponents who see the bill as voter disenfranchisement.
The House Judiciary Committee held a virtual public hearing on Senate Bill 565, relating generally to elections.
SB 565 shifts the window for voting early, moving the start time up from 13 days before Election Day to 17 days. It also ends early voting on the seventh day before Election Day instead of the third, eliminating the Friday and Saturday early voting days immediately before the Tuesday Election Day. That gives county clerks more time to prepare for Election Day.
CHARLESTON A bill dealing with concerns raised by county clerks and making changes to West Virginia’s election laws received pushback Monday from progress