Current governing law was passed in 1887.
A bipartisan group of 16 senators introduced legislation Wednesday to reform and modernize the Electoral Count Act of 1887, including by classifying the role of the vice president in certifying presidential elections. The legislation is the culmination of months of negotiations led by Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, to find common ground on electoral reform.
The bill would raise the threshold to lodge an objection to the certification of a state’s electors to at least one-fifth of the members of both the House and Senate, rather than simply one member from each chamber.
It would clarify the role of the vice president as only ceremonial with no power to unilaterally reject electors. The bill would also provide clear guidelines for the transfer of power between Election Day and inauguration.
The next step is for the bill to go to the Senate Rules Committee, whose chair, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, says will hold a hearing “in the coming weeks.”
If passed by the Senate and House, it would mark the first major legislative response to the January 6 incursion at the Capitol and the events that preceded it.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For members of the Senate as they work to update legislation regarding presidential elections.
- For Senators Klobuchar, Collins, and Manchin as they craft guidelines to clarify the transition of administrations after an election.
- For wisdom for federal legislators as they consider the election reform measures.
Sources: Axios, Washington Post
