1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am a constituent and I am writing to urge you to oppose the SAVE Act. This legislation would create unnecessary barriers to voting for eligible citizens while attempting to address a problem that simply does not exist on any significant scale. The SAVE Act would require citizens to provide documentary proof of citizenship—such as a passport, birth certificate, or naturalization papers—to register to vote. For many working Americans, obtaining these documents means taking time off work, paying fees ranging from $15 to $200 for replacement documents, and navigating complex bureaucratic processes. These requirements would discourage participation from citizens who cannot afford to lose wages or pay these costs. Married women who have changed their names face particular hardship under this legislation. They would need to provide additional documentation linking their birth certificate to their current legal name, often requiring certified copies of marriage licenses or court orders—adding more expense and bureaucracy. Women should not be punished for taking their spouse's surname. The Heritage Foundation's Election Fraud Database, frequently cited by proponents of such legislation, identified only 1,465 proven cases of voter fraud across all elections nationwide over several decades. Multiple academic studies have found voter impersonation fraud—the type this bill claims to address—occurs at rates of 0.0003% to 0.0025%. A comprehensive study by the Brennan Center for Justice found that a person is more likely to be struck by lightning than to commit voter fraud. Rather than protecting our elections, the SAVE Act would punish legal voters by making it harder for them to exercise their constitutional right. Our focus should be on expanding access to the ballot box for eligible citizens, not erecting artificial barriers based on unfounded fears. I respectfully ask that you stand against this legislation and instead support measures that protect voting rights while maintaining the integrity of our democratic process. Thank you for your consideration and for your service to our district.