1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I write as one of your constituents—and as a social worker who sees every day how civic participation strengthens families and communities—to urge you to oppose the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. I believe this proposed law would do far more harm than good by erecting barriers to the ballot, fostering an atmosphere of distrust, and undermining confidence in our elections. When legislation emphasizes “fraud prevention” through heavy documentation and stringent verification despite minimal evidence of fraud, it sends a message to many citizens: “We suspect you, we doubt you, we’ll make it harder for you to participate.” That message creates cynicism. It encourages people to think the system is rigged, that they are not trusted, and that their voice doesn’t genuinely matter. Here are a few well‐documented studies showing how rare voter fraud actually is, and how exaggerated claims can erode confidence: • A briefing by the Brennan Center for Justice notes that impersonation fraud “is vanishingly rare … and does not happen on a scale even close to rigging an election.” • A review at the Brookings Institution found that, in several states with tens or hundreds of millions of ballots over decades, the share of proven fraud cases was on the order of 0.0000845%—and none affected the outcome. • Research by the Democracy and Polarization Lab at Stanford University shows that while many voters believe election fraud is common, the actual evidence refutes that belief—and that belief itself weakens public trust. • A comparative international study found that when electoral fraud or manipulation is perceived (or real) at high levels, citizen satisfaction with democracy declines sharply. Given this evidence, the SAVE Act appears to be addressing a problem that is negligible in practice—but raising the impression of a major problem. That mismatch creates two harms: 1. It burdens legitimate voters (especially low-income, elderly, naturalized citizens) with extra paperwork and potential obstacles. 2. It deepens cynicism and distrust in an already fragile democratic system, as citizens wonder why such laws are needed if the problem is so small. Rather than enacting laws that presume suspicion, we should invest in policies that build trust and increase participation: robust voter education, accessible registration and voting, transparent count processes, and targeted protections for communities historically under‐represented. I urge you to reject the SAVE Act, and instead champion legislation that affirms the right to vote—not one that presumes guilt and builds walls. Thank you for your time and service to our community. I hope you will stand for voting rights and trust in democracy.