Manchin: Passing sweeping Democratic election bill 'on a partisan line' could spur 'anarchy'

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., warned in an interview published Tuesday that a push among Senate Democrats to approve a sweeping overhaul of federal voting laws without bipartisan support would further erode public trust in elections and result in “anarchy.”

"How in the world could you, with the tension we have right now, allow a voting bill to restructure the voting of America on a partisan line?" Manchin told Vox when asked about the possibility of filibuster reform to facilitate the bill’s passage. HR 1 would put nonpartisan commissions in charge of gerrymandering rather than party-controlled state legislatures, expand early and absentee voting, ease restrictions on state voter registration and overhaul the campaign finance system. Democrats have argued the changes are necessary to ensure fair access to the election process amid a push in some states to tighten voting laws. Meanwhile, Republicans say the measure is unbalanced in favor of Democrats and grants the federal government undue influence over state elections.