Senate GOP hints at openness to a very specific voting reform bill


Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, floated the idea Tuesday that his caucus has "some interest" in amending the 1887 Electoral Count Act, telling Axios that "as we saw last time around, there are some things there that, I think, could be corrected." Former President Donald Trump and his allies used a fringy interpretation of the law in an unsuccessful push to get Vice President Mike Pence to essentially overturn the election last Jan. 6.
By Wednesday, a number of GOP senators were generally agreeing with Thune, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The Electoral Count Act "obviously has some flaws," he said. "And it is worth, I think, discussing." Specifically, Thune said, "the role of the vice president needs to be codified, so it's clear what that is," and "there's some question about how many senators or House members it ought to take to object before it triggers a vote."
Senate Democrats favor these reforms, but many suggested this new Republican openness to even modest electoral reform was a stall tactic to derail Democratic pushes for broader laws to make it easier to vote in every federal election. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has set a Jan. 17 deadline to vote on two voting bills, both facing certain GOP filibuster.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) laughed when asked Politico asked about the GOP's door-cracking to reform. "Put something on the table and let's vote," Warren said. "I want to see something. I'm not off to chase those rabbits until somebody has shown some real detail."
Schumer said Tuesday it "makes no sense" to reform the Electoral Count Act without passing other voting-rights bills. "If you're going to rig the game, and then say, 'Oh, we'll count the rigged game accurately,' what good is that?" he asked.
Uniform GOP opposition to the Democratic proposals "leaves little area for common ground on broader voting reform," Politico notes, "but perhaps some overlap on how Congress certifies elections." And the two Democratic senators most opposed to changing the filibuster to pass election reform, Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), seemed enthusiastic about any voting legislation that can get bipartisan support.
"Anything that we can do to enhance the process to make it much more secure is something we should be looking into," Manchin said Wednesday. "It's just encouraging to hear that both Democrats and Republicans are both concerned."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
5 bunker-busting cartoons about the Israel-Iran war
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on Iran waiting for Pete Hegseth to leak war plans and Donald Trump's wish for a Nobel prize
-
Malaysia's delicious food and glorious beaches
The Week Recommends From 'colourful' George Town to the 'jungled interior' of Langkawi, Malaysia is incredibly diverse
-
Is the US sliding into autocracy?
Talking Point Donald Trump's use of federal troops on home ground, dismissal of dissent and 'braggadocious' military posturing are all symptoms of a shifting political culture
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Trump foists National Guard on unwilling California
speed read Protests erupted over ICE immigration raids in LA county
-
Supreme Court lowers bar in discrimination cases
speed read The court ruled in favor of a white woman who claimed she lost two deserved promotions to gay employees
-
Trump-Musk relationship implodes in taunts, threats
speed read Musk said Trump's multitrillion bill would cause a recession and accused the president of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein