1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

The proposed SAVE Act threatens to disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters, including in Missouri, by imposing unnecessary and burdensome documentary requirements for voter registration. While the stated intent is to ensure only citizens vote in federal elections, it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote, and studies show this is an exceedingly rare occurrence that does not impact election integrity. The requirement to show proof of citizenship documents like passports or birth certificates with matching legal names in person would create substantial barriers, particularly for married women who have taken their spouse's last name, transgender individuals who have updated their legal name and gender, and others whose current legal name differs from their birth certificate. An estimated 69 million American women could face hurdles exercising their constitutional right to vote. Furthermore, the SAVE Act provides no additional funding for states to implement these new voter registration processes, leading to long lines, excessive costs, and undermining faith in elections. Rather than gatekeeping the ballot box, we should be expanding access to voting - the cornerstone of American democracy. Upholding the right to vote for all eligible citizens must be the priority. I urge you to protect this fundamental freedom by voting no on the SAVE Act.