Senator Raphael Warnock (D) has reintroduced the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in anticipation of the upcoming 2026 elections. He held a rally outside the Capitol to make this announcement with other Senators who have collaborated on the bill.
In his announcement speech, Sen. Warnock espoused the value of voting and likened it to prayer. He continued, “Democracy is the political enactment of a spiritual idea.”
Leaning deep into the spirituality of voting, Sen. Warnock expressed that since everyone has value, everyone should have a voice. He declared that nothing is more important than preserving democracy in America.
Sen. Warnock urged his colleagues to pass the bill, but that may prove easier said than done. He is likely to find pushback from Republicans, especially after framing them as authoritarian and cruel over the One Big, Beautiful Bill.
Also known as House Resolution (HR) 4, this bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before making changes to voting practices.
For context, preclearance is the process of receiving approval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court of Columbia before making legal changes affecting voting rights.
HR 4 establishes that a state and its political subdivisions must obtain preclearance for ten years if fifteen or more voting rights violations occurred in the state during the previous 25 years.
The bill also takes a protective stance towards minority populations. States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds, regarding minority groups, must preclear practices before implementation, such as changes to elections and redistricting.
If any changes do occur to election practices or districting, then HR 4 requires states to notify the public.
Furthermore, the bill gives more authority to the DOJ. HR 4 authorizes the DOJ to require states and political subdivisions to provide certain documents if they are needed to protect voting rights.
For the courts, the bill outlines factors they must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices. Such factors include the history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.
HR 4 was passed by the House and received by the Senate in 2021, but failed to move forward. This is the next attempt to get it done.
