CHICAGO — Democratic leaders say passing sweeping legislation to expand voting rights and curb gerrymandering will be at or near the top of their governing agenda should Vice President Kamala Harris win the presidency this fall in a blue wave that also ushers in unified control of Capitol Hill.
To enact the measures, they say, they are even willing to bypass the filibuster, a staple of the Senate that the party increasingly sees as one among a litany of tools that Republicans have used to
thwart the popular will.
The focus on changing the systems for elections and governance that undergird American democracy reflects widespread frustration among Democrats that they have been unable to accomplish more on issues such as guns, abortion and the climate — despite polling that suggests many of their policy positions have widespread support.
In recent years, Republican-led states have limited mail voting and Supreme Court rulings have reduced the reach of the Voting Rights Act. Democrats describe the proposed bills as an antidote to voter suppression and as springboards that would allow them to pass other parts of their agenda.