Democrats’ elections bill offered voting changes and more

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI
Associated Press

The sweeping elections bill that has collapsed in the Senate dealt with much more than voting changes. The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act would have created national automatic voter registration, allowed all voters to cast ballots by mail and weakened voter ID laws. It also would have banned partisan gerrymandering and forced “dark money” groups to disclose their major donors. It was an effort by Democrats to pass a major overhaul before the November elections. And it was a response to what voting advocates say is an effort by Republican-led states to make it harder for Black Americans and others to vote.