SAVE Act Myth vs Fact

<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><strong>H.R. 22 – The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Rep. Chip Roy’s SAVE Act (H.R.22) will address this by requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in Federal</p>
<p class="p1">elections to ensure the integrity of our elections. It amends the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) to <b>require</b></p>
<p class="p1"><b>states to verify US citizenship</b> when registering an individual to vote in federal elections, give states the tools to</p>
<p class="p1">remove non-citizens from their voter rolls, and penalize officials that knowingly register non-citizens.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>MYTH: </strong><i>“The SAVE Act would prohibit married women – or anyone who has changed their name – from voting.</i>”</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>FACT:</strong> This is fake news. Under the SAVE Act, those individuals (i.e. most) who have updated their documentary</p>
<p class="p1">proof of citizenship (which can include things like a REAL ID, passport, or government-issued identification with</p>
<p class="p1">their place of birth), no action is needed, and they can register to vote. For the small fraction of individuals who have</p>
<p class="p1">not yet updated their documentation to reflect a name change, which most do immediately for other life purposes, the</p>
<p class="p1">SAVE Act explicitly directs states to establish a process for them to register to vote irrespective of those discrepancies.</p>
<p class="p1">Like other areas of the law, citizens will be able to use combinations of existing identification documents, certificates</p>
<p class="p1">of birth from the state, and other similar documentation to demonstrate citizenship. No one will be left unable to</p>
<p class="p1">register to vote due to a name change.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>MYTH</strong><i><strong>:</strong> </i><i>“The SAVE Act would require everyone to have a U.S. passport to register to vote.”</i></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>FACT:</strong> The SAVE Act merely requires documentary proof of United States citizenship to register to vote. This is not</p>
<p class="p1">just limited to passports, but can include: a REAL ID (in use in all 50 states now), a US military ID card together</p>
<p class="p1">with paperwork showing place of birth was in the United States, and any valid government issued identification card</p>
<p class="p1">issued by Federal, State, or Tribal government showing the applicants place of birth was in the U.S.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>MYTH:</strong><b> “</b><i>In federal elections, we have no evidence of illegals voting.”</i></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>FACT:</strong> There is ample evidence of non-US citizens registering to vote. One <span class="s1">2014 study</span> of the 2008 and 2010</p>
<p class="p1">elections found that non-citizens voted and likely impacted the outcome in several races. Virginia <span class="s1">removed</span> 1,481</p>
<p class="p1">voter registrations for “non-citizen status.” In 2014, North Carolina <span class="s1">conducted</span> a study that found over 1,400 registered</p>
<p class="p1">voters on its rolls appeared to be non-citizens. Numerous states and local jurisdictions are actively seeking to register</p>
<p class="p1">non-citizens in their elections. One illegal ballot cast is one too many and can impact the outcome of tight elections.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>MYTH: </strong><i>“The SAVE Act is unnecessary because it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote.”</i></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>FACT: </strong>While only U.S. citizens can legally vote in Federal elections, the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)</p>
<p class="p1">effectively stops states from checking citizenship during registration, preventing the law from being enforced. The</p>
<p class="p1">SAVE Act is needed to <b>require</b> states to verify US citizenship when registering individuals to vote in federal elections,</p>
<p class="p1">give states the tools to remove non-citizens from their voter rolls, and penalize officials that register non-citizens.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>MYTH:</strong> <i>‘The SAVE Act will make it impossible for U.S. Servicemembers to vote if deployed aboard.”</i></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>FACT:</strong> This bill does not amend the Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and leaves in</p>
<p class="p1">place existing procedures and safeguards for servicemembers abroad to vote absentee in federal elections.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>MYTH:</strong> <b><i>“</i></b><i>The SAVE Act is unconstitutional and violates the principles of federalism.”</i></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>FACT:</strong> The Elections Clause, the Naturalization Clause, and the 15<span class="s2">th</span>, 19<span class="s2">th</span>, 24<span class="s2">th</span>, and 26<span class="s2">th</span> amendments clearly give</p>
<p class="p1">Congress the authority to enact the SAVE Act. The SAVE Act is a narrow bill that simply strengthens the law that has</p>
<p class="p1">governed the federal voter registration process for 30 years – the NVRA – by requiring states to verify citizenship for</p>
<p class="p1">registration in federal elections.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://loudermilk.house.gov/save-act-myth-vs-fact/">SAVE Act Myth vs Fact</a> appeared first on <a href="https://loudermilk.house.gov">U.S. Representative Barry Loudermilk</a>.</p>