The Senate is set to hold a vote this evening on a sweeping voting rights bill.
Republicans are prepared to block the measure from advancing, but democrats are trying to put up a united front on what they say is a fundamental issue for democracy.
ABC's Elizabeth Schulze has the latest from Washington.
THE SENATE IS SET TO HOLD A VOTETHIS EVENING ON A SWEEPINGVOTING RIGHTS BILL.REPUBLICANS ARE PREPARED TOBLOCK THE MEASURE FROMADVANCING, BUT DEMOCRATS ARETRYING TO PUT UP A UNITED FRONTON WHAT THEY SAY IS AFUNDAMENTAL ISSUE FORDEMOCRACY.ABC'S ELIZABETH SCHULZE HAS THELATEST FROM WASHINGTON.DEMOCRATS ARE BRACING FOR DEFEATIN THIS VOTE TO MOVE A MASSIVEVOTING RIGHTS BILL TO DEBATE INTHE SENATE.
BUTTHEY'RE TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGETHAT REPUBLICANS AREBLOCKING AN EFFORT TO PROTECTAND EXPANDAMERICANS' ACCESS TO THE RIGHTTO VOTE.
IN A DEFEAT FORDEMOCRATS -- AN EXPANSIVE VOTINGRIGHTSAND ELECTION REFORM HAS FAILEDTO ADVANCE IN THESENATEALL FIFTY SENATE REPUBLICANSVOTING AGAINST A MOTION TODEBATE THE VOTING RIGHTS BILL --ENDING ITS CHANCES OF MOVINGFORWARD IN THE CHAMBER: "LOOK, WHAT THIS IS REALLYABOUT IS AN EFFORT OF THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO TAKE OVERTHE WAY WE CONDUCTELECTIONS IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT ISA SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF APROBLEM.
AND SO FINALLY TODAY WEWILL PUT AN END TO IT HERE INTHESENATE"THE BILL IS A TOP PRIORITY FORDEMOCRATS' LEGISLATIAGENDA AS REPUBLICAN-LEDLEGISLATURES IN MORE THANDOZEN STATES PASS LAWS ALONGPARTY LINES PUTTING NEWRESTRICTIONS ON VOTING.THE STATE LAWS TAKE STEPS LIKELIMITING MAIL-IN VOTING ANDBALLOT DROP BOXES AND TIGHTENINGI-D REQUIREMENTS,MAKING IT HARDER FOR AMERICANSACROSS THE COUNTRY TOVOTE."THIS STATE HAS PERFECTED THEMEANS OF SUPPRESSING THEVOTE, OF KEEPING SOME DOWN TOTHE BENEFIT OF OTHERS."MOST DEMOCRATS SAID THE VOTINGRIGHTS BILL IN THE SENATESEEKS TO COUNTER THESE STATEMEASURES.
WITH STEPS LIKEMAKING VOTER REGISTRATIONAUTOMATIC, EXPANDINGABSENTEE AND EARLY VOTING,LIMITING PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING AND REFORMING CAMPAIGN FINANCELAWS.DEMOCRATS ARE VOWING TO PRESS ON- SAYING THEY ARE UNITED INTHE FIGHT TO PROTECT AND EXPANDVOTING RIGHT"THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT THEPRESERVATION AND THEPROTECTION OF THE DEMOCRACYITSELF"A NEW MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY POLLFOUND MORE THAN TWO-THIRDSOF AMERICANS SUPPORT NATIONALGUIDELINES TOALLOW VOTE BY MAIL AND IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING IN EVERYSTATE.
A MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANSSAY THEY SUPPORT THEIDEA.
ELIZABETH SCHULZE, ABCNEWS, WASHINGTON.A MAN WHO ALLE