Dear Editor: The rights of voters in the United States are under attack, with many ongoing attempts to limit voter registration and poll access, create election/voting districts that favor one party over another (largely by Republicans), and even wholesale illegal voter purges from state rolls. The SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) America Act, a federal bill that has already passed the House and is now being considered by the Senate, is projected, if passed, to disenfranchise many more qualified voters.
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 gave authority to states to determine what types of identification are acceptable, with the goal of simplifying registration. In Alaska, a valid state driver’s license, state ID card, or social security number is all that’s needed, and you are required to attest to legal citizenship on your voter registration form. At the polls, you are required to present a valid ID, usually driver’s license or voter registration card, that will allow your signature to be verified. Other states may and do have other requirements, with North Dakota not requiring voter registration at all. This system has worked very well across the country with rare instances of illegal voting. Non-citizens attempting to vote is rarer yet. All 62 lawsuits filed Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign were ultimately dismissed or defeated without any credible evidence of fraud being produced.
The SAVE America Act will vastly complicate the status quo, imposing federal burdens on states’ election authority, and will require voters to reregister with certified birth certificates, passports, or other citizenship documents and legal proof of any name changes that don’t match birth last names. Native, rural and elderly Americans, married women who have changed their name, adopted individuals, and naturalized citizens, will likely have the most trouble providing these documents. Many don’t have passports or access to certified birth and name change records. Photo ID will also now be required at the polls. The Bipartisan Policy Center website has a good breakdown of the facts and implications regarding this bill.
If you oppose these changes, contact Senator Murkowski: 202-224-6665; and Senator Sullivan: 202-224-3004, to have your opinion counted!
Concerned U.S. citizens
Barbara Bingham, Lisa Sadleir-Hart, Donna Donohoe
