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Senator Joe Manchin has announced he is open to compromising in his stance concerning two major voting rights bills: the For the People Act, and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Both are designed to expand voting registration options, and voting access apart from physically entering the polling place.
As a well-known moderate, he expressed concern that the former law favors the left too heavily, while he has supported the latter law but has opposed ending the current filibuster in order to pass it. Some of his proposed changes to both bills include making election day a public holiday, offering 15 consecutive days of early voting for federal elections, and automatic voter registration through state departments of motor vehicles. He also proposes requiring voter identification, but allowing alternatives like utility bills to suffice as proof of identity. Some representatives from both sides of the aisle are encouraged, seeing the Senator's suggestions and concerns as a step forward in passing the two bills.