Tell Congress to reject the SAVE Act!
Our voting rights are under threat at the federal and state level. The SAVE Act is expected to move in Congress in the coming weeks, which could block millions of American citizens from voting because they don't have documents that prove their citizenship. Tell Congress to reject the SAVE Act!
The SAVE Act would require voters to show a passport or birth certificate to an election official in person in order to register or re-register to vote. According to the Brennan Center, more than 21 million U.S. citizens don't have proof of citizenship readily available.
Here's some of what this bill would do in practice:
Eliminate voter registration by mail, voter registration drives, and most forms of online registration.
Unduly burden rural voters, who may have to drive long distances to reach board of elections offices where they can show documentation in person. Some voters in Alaska and Hawaii may even have to get on a plane just to register to vote.
Disenfranchise many married women, many of whom do not have a passport or birth certificate that matches their current legal name.
Make it harder for Black, low-income, and young voters to participate in our democracy, as they are less likely to have a valid passport.
Burden military voters, who may not have access to in-person voter registration, and tribal voters who may not have the same documentation as other American citizens.
Make it harder for survivors of natural disasters to register and vote, like those recently affected by Hurricane Helene.
Force widespread and problematic purges of current voter rolls, as voters and states scramble to comply with these new regulations.
Halt voter registration for months in many states, as they create new and costly systems to comply with this law--which would go into effect immediately if passed.
Threaten election officials, who could be held civilly and criminally liable for registering someone who did not provide documentary proof of citizenship--even if the official made an honest mistake or if the person was, in fact, a citizen.
In the Brennan Center's analysis of this law, they call the SAVE Act "a solution in search of a problem." The Campaign Legal Center asserts that it would be one of the harshest voter suppression laws nationwide and "could subject election workers to harsh criminal penalties simply for doing their job." In short, this is a bad bill that would cause great harm to American voters and our democracy. We urge you to take action by telling your U.S. Senators and Representatives to say no to the SAVE Act!
Click below to find contact information for your congressperson. Thank you for standing up for our civil rights and for democracy!