S. 2523 · 119th Congress
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025
Key: what the circles and colors mean
Each circle is a bill. The ring fills as it moves through Congress:
Under the number: the Yea · Nay count of its final (or latest) recorded vote. On a member's page, the small badge is how that member voted: Y Yea / Aye, N Nay / No, P Present, – Not voting.
Gold and violet are only for Yea and Nay; they never mean a party. A member's party is the letter on their photo.
Not yet voted on. This bill is still a proposal: it hasn't reached a floor vote, and its text can change in committee or on the floor before any vote.
D
DurbinSponsor46 cosponsors · 44 D, 2 I
D
Alsobrooks
TB
D
Baldwin
MB
D
Bennet
RB
D
Blumenthal
CB
D
Booker
LB
D
Blunt Rochester
MC
D
Cantwell
CC
D
Coons
CC
D
Cortez Masto
TD
D
Duckworth
JF
D
Fetterman
KG
D
Gillibrand
RG
D
Gallego
JH
D
Hickenlooper
MH
D
Hirono
MH
D
Heinrich
MH
D
Hassan
AK
D
Klobuchar
MK
D
Kelly
AK
I
King
TK
D
Kaine
AK
D
Kim
BL
D
Luján
EM
D
Markey
PM
D
Murray
CM
D
Murphy
JM
D
Merkley
JO
D
Ossoff
AP
D
Padilla
GP
D
Peters
JR
D
Reed
JR
D
Rosen
BS
I
Sanders
CS
D
Schumer
AS
D
Schiff
JS
D
Shaheen
BS
D
Schatz
TS
D
Smith
ES
D
Slotkin
CV
D
Van Hollen
RW
D
Wyden
RW
D
Warnock
PW
D
Welch
SW
D
Whitehouse
MW
D
Warner
EW
D
Warren46 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Jul 29, 2025
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025
This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights.
A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if, during the previous 25 years:
- 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state; or
- 10 or more violations occurred, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself.
A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years.
States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds regarding minority groups must preclear covered practices before implementation, such as redistricting.
States and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices.
The bill authorizes DOJ to require states or political subdivisions to provide certain documents or answers to questions for enforcing voting rights.
The bill outlines factors courts must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices, such as the extent of any history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.
The bill also includes certain protections for election workers, polling places, and election infrastructure.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025
Latest action (Jul 29, 2025): Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S4821)
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Jul 29, 2025
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.