1. United States
2. Ala.
3. Letter

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act could silence millions of voters by creating unnecessary barriers to voter registration, making it harder for Americans to participate in our democracy. Although voters are already required to verify their eligibility, the SAVE Act would require additional documentation that many Americans do not have. More than 21 million people could struggle to access the required documents, including people of color, married individuals who have changed their names, and young and elderly voters. For example, a birth certificate may not reflect a person’s current legal name. Under the SAVE Act, most voters would not be able to register using only a driver’s license, since licenses generally do not indicate citizenship. Instead, voters would need less common documents, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate. These requirements would also apply to registered voters whenever they update their address or party affiliation, creating new hurdles to maintaining their registration. The SAVE Act would also threaten mail and online voter registration. In 2022, more than seven million Americans registered by mail and nearly 11 million registered online. The bill would severely limit mail registration and force costly changes to online systems, cutting off access for millions who rely on these options. Additionally, the SAVE Act would mandate frequent voter purges, which rely on faulty data and have historically removed eligible voters from the rolls. Existing laws already prevent non-citizens from voting and impose severe penalties, including deportation. Expanding voter purges would inevitably disenfranchise American citizens. The bill would also criminalize election workers, exposing them to prison sentences of up to five years for registering someone without the required documents—even if that person is a citizen. Election officials should not face criminal penalties for doing their jobs. Rather than making voting harder, lawmakers should work to expand access and protect the fundamental freedom to vote. The SAVE Act does the opposite by imposing unnecessary and harmful restrictions on eligible voters.