If approved: It Would Strip Millions of Americans of Their Right to Vote
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is calling on the U.S. Senate to reject the SAVE America Act, sweeping anti-voter legislation aggressively pushed by the Trump administration, which would erect significant barriers to ballot access. If enacted, this bill would effectively disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters by requiring citizens to show documents like a passport or birth certificate to register – documents that tens of millions of Americans do not have ready access to.
Last year, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, withered in the Senate in the face of widespread public opposition.
“The American people have already rejected this kind of legislation once and it’s clear why,” said Laura Williamson, senior policy advisor, SPLC. “This version of the bill is even more extreme. Its “show me your papers” requirements are even more restrictive, and it compels states to share sensitive voter file data with the Department of Homeland Security with no guardrails to protect voters’ privacy.”
Over 146 million American citizens do not have a passport — especially rural and low-income voters. In the Deep South, the reality is even worse: in states like Mississippi and Alabama, fewer than 30 percent of citizens hold a valid U.S. passport. Further, an estimated 69 million married women nationally do not have a birth certificate matching their current legal name.
“This bill would disproportionately impact communities of color, people with disabilities, women, rural voters and low-income people. If senators vote for this bill, they’re not just restricting the freedom to vote, they’re telling millions of Americans their voices don’t matter.
“We urge the Senate to protect the freedom to vote for all by saying ‘no’ to the SAVE America Act — and holding the floor in opposition as long as it takes to defeat the bill,” Williamson concluded. “We also urge every American to contact their senator immediately and demand a NO vote on the SAVE America Act.”
Contact your senators here.
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About Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.