When Election Security Becomes Voter Suppression
The SAVE America Act should be defeated because it would make it harder for eligible Americans to vote while addressing a problem that evidence suggests is exceedingly rare. Election integrity is essential to democracy, but protecting elections should not come at the expense of eligible citizens’ access to the ballot.
The bill would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. While that may sound straightforward, millions of Americans lack immediate access to documents such as passports or certified birth certificates. Replacing lost records can be costly and time-consuming, creating unnecessary barriers for citizens who are legally entitled to vote.
These requirements could disproportionately affect married women who have changed their names, military personnel, students, older adults, tribal citizens, rural residents, and people with disabilities. For many, proving citizenship may involve gathering multiple documents simply because their current legal name does not match older records. No eligible voter should face unnecessary obstacles because of paperwork.
Supporters argue the legislation is needed to prevent noncitizens from voting. However, noncitizen voting is already illegal and carries serious criminal penalties. Election officials, researchers, and independent investigations have consistently found documented cases to be exceedingly rare. Rather than targeting widespread fraud, the bill would impose new requirements on every eligible voter.
The SAVE America Act would also place additional burdens on state and local election officials. Election offices would need to verify citizenship documents, revise registration procedures, train staff, and resolve more registration disputes, all requiring time and resources that many jurisdictions already lack.
Americans should not have to overcome new bureaucratic hurdles to exercise one of our most fundamental constitutional rights. We can strengthen election security through accurate voter rolls, robust audits, modern election technology, and vigorous enforcement of existing laws without making it harder for eligible citizens to vote.
Our democracy is strongest when elections are both secure and accessible. Laws that risk disenfranchising eligible voters in response to a problem that evidence indicates is uncommon move us in the wrong direction. Congress should reject the SAVE America Act and instead pursue reforms that protect both the integrity of our elections and every eligible citizen’s right to vote.
Eileen J. Marum, Marion
Chair, League of Women Voters SouthCoast
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