GOP expected to filibuster Senate election bill that would boost mail-in voting, mandate auto-registration

The Senate is expected to hold a procedural vote Wednesday afternoon to end a filibuster on an election bill that would impose national standards on how states conduct federal elections, including requirements for mail-in voting and automatic voter registration.

The 592-page bill, known as the "Freedom to Vote Act," includes sweeping reforms that include the requirement of states to provide automatic voter registration, as well as online and same-day registration. It also calls for making Election Day a public holiday.

Several provisions in the bill call for significant expansion of absentee voting by mail. It prohibits states from placing any conditions or requirements on voters to vote absentee, provided they are otherwise eligible to vote, and it forbids states from imposing voter identification requirements except for first-time voters who register by mail. It also prohibits notarization or witness signature requirements for mail-in voting.