1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The SAVE Act's requirement for voters to show documentary proof of citizenship in person risks creating significant voting barriers for millions of eligible American citizens. It is estimated that around 69 million married women have taken their spouse's last name, and their birth certificates no longer match their current legal names. Unless they obtain updated documents like passports at additional cost and effort, these women could face obstacles when registering or updating their voter registration. While the stated goal is to prevent non-citizen voting, research shows this is an extremely rare occurrence that existing safeguards already address. Rather than solving a widespread problem, the SAVE Act threatens to disenfranchise lawful voters who lack ready access to the newly mandated forms of identification. This includes not just married women but also transgender individuals who have updated their names as well as those in rural or low-income communities. States would need to allocate substantial additional resources to verify documentation in person, leading to long lines and waiting times at election offices. No funding has been proposed to assist states in implementing these new procedures. At a time when electoral participation should be encouraged, creating unnecessary burdens that deter citizens from exercising their constitutional right is unacceptable. I urge you to reject the SAVE Act and any measures that risk disenfranchising legitimate voters without evidence of widespread fraud.