The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R.22/S.128) has been re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate under the guise of stopping illegal voting – it is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. Despite unfounded claims to the contrary, there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud. The SAVE Act is designed to block eligible Americans from voting, not to protect elections.
The bill would require all Americans to prove their citizenship with official documents in person before registering to vote or updating their voter registration. Every state already requires voters to affirm or verify their citizenship. Noncitizens cannot legally vote in federal or state elections.
The bill would functionally eliminate mail registration by requiring voters registering by mail to produce citizenship documents in person to an election official before the registration deadline. It would also abolish many or all voter registration drives and online voter registration systems, which are typically treated like mail registration.
This bill does not protect elections. Infact, it makes it harder for eligible Americans to vote. Under this bill,Americans would need to provide one of the following documents to register or to update their registration:
· A U.S. birth certificate
· A U.S. passport
· A certificate of naturalization
· A certificate of citizenship
For millions of Americans, accessing these documents is not simple:
· More than 21.3 million Americans lack immediate access to documentary proof of citizenship
· 140 million U.S. citizens do not have a passport
· Up to 69 million women who took their spouse’s last name do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name
· Disabled Americans are already much more likely to encounter difficulty while voting compared to a nondisabled voter; more stringent requirements will just make this worse
· Citizens of color are three times more likely than white citizens to lack documentation such as birth certificates, passports, naturalization certificates, or certificates of citizenship
These barriers disproportionately impact communities already facing voting restrictions.
As noted by the LWV of the City of New York, the SAVE Act would disproportionately impact:
· Communities of color, who are three times more likely to lack required documents
· People who changed their name, including those who changed it after marriage or for personal reasons, and have mismatched birth records
· Older adults, including those who were born at home and may not have official birth certificates
· People with limited financial resources, who may struggle to afford document replacement fees or travel costs
· Rural communities, where government offices are less accessible for obtaining these documents
Instead of protecting elections, this bill creates barriers that keep eligible voters from participating.
What can you do right now?
· Call and tell your congressional representatives to oppose the SAVE Act
· Call your senators and demand they protect voting rights
· Read LWVUS Talking Points and LWVUS Call to Action