Oppose the SAVE Act to Protect Voting Access

I am writing to urge you to vote against the SAVE Act, which the House of Representatives passed for the second time in April 2025. This legislation would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, creating unnecessary barriers for eligible voters across our state. It is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. Voters in every state are currently required to affirm or verify their citizenship status when registering. The SAVE Act adds a redundant layer of documentation requirements that will disenfranchise eligible American citizens rather than address any actual problem. This bill would create significant hardships for specific groups of voters. Military families would need to present documentation every time they re-register when they move to a new duty station. Families recovering from natural disasters who have lost vital records would face additional obstacles while trying to rebuild their lives. Americans who have changed their names, including married women, would need to secure updated documentation before they could exercise their constitutional right to vote. The racial disparities created by this legislation are particularly concerning. Citizens of color are three times more likely than white citizens to lack documents such as birth certificates, passports, naturalization certificates, or certificates of citizenship, or to face difficulties accessing them. While approximately half of all American adults possess a passport, two-thirds of Black Americans do not. This bill solves a problem that does not exist while creating real barriers for eligible voters. I ask you to reject the SAVE Act and protect the voting rights of all eligible citizens in our state. Our democracy is strengthened when we make it easier for qualified voters to participate, not harder.