Voting Rights

Voting Rights

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LWV supports securing ctizens' right to vote

Our mission at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters has been singular and unwavering for over 100 years: to uphold and protect our democratic system, and to ensure the right of every American to vote. Upholding our democratic system means preserving our form of government that consists of three co-equal branches of government regulated by a system of checks and balances that limits government power and protects personal freedoms as.outlined in the Constitution. Principles such as the rule of law, individual rights, and free elections are values shared by conservative and liberal political parties, which allows LWV to be nonpartisan. 
 

What Are Our Rights?

See our voting rights explained here.

Federal Action Taken Against Voting Rights

The 2 main actlons taken in 2025 to limit voting rights are an executive order issued by the president and The SAVE Act created by Congress.

Executive Order

Executive order titled "Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections" attempts to:

  1. Require further proof of citizenship for voter registration beyond what is required today.
  2. Require paper ballots only
  3. Restrict mail-in voting
  4. Use federal agencies to verify citizenship and share personal data.
  5. Decertifying voting machines
  6. Privacy concerns with DOGE accessing voter data.
  7. Withold federal grant funding from states counting mail-in ballots received after election day.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed challenging the legality of this executive order on elections, including a lawsuit by the League of Women Voters with other voting rights groups and lawsuits by attorneys general from several states. The LWV lawsuits argue that the President lacks the power to issue those orders because our Constistution and relevant law stipulate that the President has no role in regulating federal elections. and violate existing laws like the National Voter Registration Act.

In April 2025, a federal judges blocked parts of the executive order. See the injunction blocking parts of the order here.

A second federal judge blocked parts of the executive order stating "The Constitution does not grant the President any specific powers over elections... there is no dispute (nor could there be) that U.S. citizenship is required to vote in federal elections and the federal voter registration forms require attestation of citizenship"... requirements stated in the executive order would “burden the States with significant efforts and substantial costs”. Read the court rulings here.

SAVE Act - Passed by House and presented to Senate for approval

Voting in this country will become more difficult for everyone if Congress approves the bill called SAVE Act. This bill would require all voters to present proof of citizenship (birth certificate or passport) in person to election officials every time they register or update their registration. Online and mail-in voter registration would be eliminated. Digital and photocopied proof of citizenship would not be allowed. Millions of Americans don’t have ready access to proof of citizenship. The birth certificates of many women don’t match their current name. Rural voters, voters of color, and historically marginalized individuals will be disproportionally impacted. There is no evidence to suggest voter fraud by non-citizens.
 
 

Legal Challenges to Executive Orders of the Current Administration

 

LWV Legal Action To Preserve Voting Rights

LWV Nevada County takes a stand on voting rights

Click here to read our full press release printed in Yuba Net on March 31, 2025.
 
LWV Nevada City participated in the April 5 day of protest to express our disapproval of the Executive Order to dismantle voting rights.
 
Apr5 Protest
 

Additional Information...

Track the dates for upcoming elections across the country here.
 
 

Do you have questions about your voting rights? Learn more about your voting rights here.

If you feel your rights have been violated, you can contact the California Department of Justice here.