Dear John,

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, introduced by Republican Rep. Chip Roy, is a voter suppression bill that would require every American to present either a passport or birth certificate to register to vote – completely excluding commonly accepted IDs like student IDs, driver’s licenses, or military IDs.

This bill would effectively disenfranchise millions. Approximately 150 million Americans don’t have a passport, and many lack ready access to their birth certificate. 69 million women don’t have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name, and elderly Americans are less likely to possess a passport or have access to their birth certificate.

In seven states – Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and West Virginia – fewer than one-third of residents have valid passports.

Though it’s already illegal for non-citizens to vote – and there is no evidence of any significant voter fraud by non-citizens – the SAVE Act requires proof of citizenship to register and vote. But proving citizenship isn’t always straightforward, and for many, the necessary documents are either difficult or impossible to produce.

The bill would disproportionately impact naturalized citizens, women, the elderly, and low-income earning Americans as access to required documents often correlates with socioeconomic status. If passed, millions of eligible voters would risk being removed from voter rolls, eroding their right to participate in our democracy.

Send a direct message to Congress: Stop the SAVE Act and protect every American’s right to vote without unnecessary documentation requirements!

Naturalized citizens would be particularly vulnerable under this legislation, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Bureaucratic errors or outdated records could prevent them from voting altogether.

Instead of targeting vulnerable communities under the guise of “election security,” Congress should focus on expanding access to the ballot box by supporting the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

The SAVE Act threatens to undermine the foundations of our democracy.

Demand that Congress reject this dangerous legislation and take steps to protect and expand voting rights for all Americans.

Thank you for standing up against voter suppression and helping to safeguard the voices of millions.

Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action