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Democrats renew vote-by-mail push as virus upends elections

Democrats renew vote-by-mail push as virus upends elections
Posted at 6:29 PM, Apr 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-09 18:29:35-04

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to bolster mail-in voting and take other steps to make balloting easier this November as Congress starts planning its next major bill to reinforce the economy and battle the coronavirus.

Pelosi's proposals are still evolving. But they've immediate draw condemnation from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

The California Republican's opposition echoes President Donald Trump's hostility to federal attempts to prod states to relax their voting rules.

The fight underscores that a partisan battle over easing voting restrictions will be a major issue this election year, even as the country considers how to adjust to a coronavirus threat that's not expected to recede anytime soon.