Democrats in the Senate are holding the floor all night long in Washington to protest the imminent confirmation of judge Amy Coney Barrett to the supreme court.

The Democrats don’t have the numbers to stop the confirmation, but their refusal to leave the floor on the eve of the vote is meant to register the strength of their protest to the Republican decision to ram a supreme court appointment through during an election, at a time when the senate has been otherwise shut down from coronavirus.

There has been fierce opposition to Barrett's nomination so close to a presidential election from Democrats, as Supreme Court appointments are for life and the body rules on some of the most contentious issues in American society.

Her confirmation would give the nine-member court a 6-3 conservative majority, swinging its ideological balance for potentially decades to come.

Democrats have failed to draw Barrett on issues like climate change, abortion, healthcare and LGBTQ rights.

The vote is expected to take place much later today, some time between 16:00EST and 20:00EST (20:00GMT-00:00GMT).