The bill would overhaul the voting system by sending the states billions of dollars to implement improvements. Senate passage Wednesday would send the bill to the White House.
Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the chief Republican negotiator, called the bill a "historic consensus" that "will help make all elections more accurate, more accessible and more honest."
"Election Day 2000 was not a proud day for our democracy, but that day was also a gift," said Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. "Had there never been a contested election, the problems likely would never have been addressed."
Dodd, who as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee led the negotiations, said the legislation "goes a long way toward righting those wrongs."
The House passed the measure, which would cost about $3.8 billion over three years, last week in a 357-48 vote.
Congress still must approve spending the money the new legislation would require. All sides have said they are committed to getting that done.
The measure allows states with punch-card and lever voting systems to get money to buy upgraded machines if they wish and requires provisional voting, which allows people who do not appear on election rolls but say they are eligible to vote to cast a ballot. Election officials later would determine whether the ballots were valid.
The bill also establishes statewide registration lists that would use the last four digits of a voter's driver's license or Social Security number as an identifier for the database. Voters with neither number would be assigned an identifying number by the state.
States also would have to ensure that at least one voting machine at a polling place is accessible to the disabled.
Civil rights groups and many Democrats have opposed identification requirements included in the bill. Those provisions would require voters who registered by mail to show identification the first time they vote. Photo IDs, utility bills or other documents would be allowed.
Activists have complained that the identification provisions discriminate against the poor and minorities who may lack all the acceptable documentation.
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