Congress Should Oppose the SAVE America Act
Urge your Representative to vote “No” on the SAVE America Act
The House is set to vote on the SAVE America Act this week, which is the new and expanded version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act that passed the House last year. It adds a requirement that individuals present documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) to vote in federal elections, on top of the existing requirements in last year’s SAVE Act that require DPOC in person when registering to vote.
This updated SAVE America Act would add a second occasion upon which voters would have to demonstrate their citizenship to vote: at the polls. That compounds the voter suppression effect of the SAVE Act, because even voters who are properly registered and showed documentary proof of citizenship ahead of the registration deadline could be unable to vote if they show up to the polls on election day without their passport.
Any requirement to present DPOC creates one more barrier to the voting process, as many eligible voters do not have easy access to the necessary documents. Compared to white US citizens, citizens of color are three times more likely to lack documents such as birth certificates, passports, naturalization certificates, or certificates of citizenship, or face difficulties accessing them. For example, while approximately half of all American adults possess a passport, two-thirds of Black Americans do not. The bills would also have a disparate impact on overseas and military voters, people who may have lost documentation due to natural disasters, and married women who’ve changed their names.
The SAVE America Act is scheduled for a House vote this week, and we need your help now to tell your members of the House of Representatives to vote "No"!
Americans do not need MORE obstacles to vote. Tell your Representative to vote no on this legislation.