Norton Predicts 63 Senate Votes for D.C. Voting Rights

Press Release

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's prediction last night that she would have more than the 60 votes necessary for the D.C. Voting Rights Act in the Senate was demonstrated this morning when a total of six new Democrats were elected to replace six Republican senators who voted against S. 1257. Norton believes that her bill now will have 63 senate votes. Only two Republican senators who voted for S. 1257 were up for re-election. Susan Collins (R-ME) won her re-election campaign and Norm Coleman (R-MN) is in a tight race with Al Franken, a Democrat who also would support the DC Voting Rights bill. President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, who voted for our bill, will likely be replaced by Democratic senators through appointments to be made by Democratic governors.

"I will seek the earliest vote in both the House and Senate," Norton said. "The vote for D.C. residents should have been granted 209, years ago as the framers of the Constitution intended. Two centuries of waiting has been disgraceful. We must insist on no more delay, particularly now that we have the votes."

Source