The January 6 anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riot reawakened the country’s urgency to maintain democracy and ensure equal voting rights

President Joe Biden gave a speech emphasising how dangerous the attack on the Capitol was in threatening a fair election… promising to implement laws that expand access to voting.

The U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has compared Republicans’ efforts to impose tough voting restrictions and change state election laws to the January 6 insurrection.

The results of the 2020 election saw Republican state lawmakers toughen voting measures, marginalising some groups.

More restrictions are expected to follow this year with the midterm elections scheduled for November.

Democrats are fighting to pass the Freedom to Vote Act before the midterm with Republicans blocking every effort.

The voting rights bill would expand early and absentee voting and make it easier for people to comply with state voter ID laws.

It would also standardise automatic voter registration, allow incarcerated people to vote once they finish their sentences and make Election Day a national holiday.

Biden and Vice President Kamal Harris are visiting Georgia this week to discuss the bill, in a state that has largely been against the act.

And for more, we spoke with Bruce Wolpe from the U.S. Studies Centre.