1. United States
2. Miss.
3. Letter

Recent proposals under the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act raise serious concerns for Mississippi’s rural communities. While election integrity is a shared priority, the documentation requirements in this bill would create barriers that fall most heavily on voters in small towns and unincorporated areas across the state. Many Mississippians were born decades ago in small community hospitals that have since closed or consolidated, and obtaining certified copies of birth certificates can take time and money. Others have experienced name changes due to marriage or other life events, creating inconsistencies between identification documents. In rural counties where Department of Public Safety offices are limited and transportation options are scarce, obtaining updated documentation can require significant travel, lost work hours, and additional fees. For older residents on fixed incomes and working families already stretched thin, these hurdles are not trivial. The legislation places heavy reliance on documentation such as passports to prove citizenship. In rural Mississippi, passports are uncommon. Many residents have never traveled internationally and have had no practical reason to obtain one. Requiring documentation that a large share of rural voters simply does not possess would effectively condition participation on access to resources that are more common in urban or higher income communities. Ironically, these burdens would likely impact many conservative voters who form the backbone of Mississippi’s rural electorate. Churchgoing families, veterans, farmers, and small business owners in counties far from Jackson often have fewer administrative resources and less flexible work schedules. Policies that unintentionally suppress participation among these voters risk weakening civic engagement in the very communities that most consistently turn out to support Republican candidates. Safeguarding elections should strengthen confidence without erecting obstacles for lawful voters. I urge careful reconsideration of provisions that would make it harder for eligible Mississippians, particularly those in rural areas, to register and vote. Election integrity and voter access are not competing values. Thoughtful policy can protect both while reflecting the realities of life in rural Mississippi.