SAVE Act is an unneeded barrier to voting

The House of Representatives recently passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, stating that elections need to be protected from noncitizen voting.

The basic argument in the SAVE Act is that noncitizens are corrupting election outcomes. Numerous credible studies and election audits have evidence that noncitizens voting in elections is a very low percentage. In contrast with the low percentage of those not eligible to vote, the SAVE Act will have a significant impact on U.S. citizens.

In an NPR interview, Michel Martin spoke with Sean Morales-Doyle, director of the Voting Rights and Elections Program at the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice. As with other non-partisan organizations, including the League of Women Voters, the Brennan Center opposed this legislation on the grounds that it would disenfranchise perhaps as many as 21.3 million Americans.

Why? Because many citizens do not have the official papers proving citizenship which the SAVE Act now requires to register to vote or to change voter registration.

Birth certificates are the gold standard for proving you are a U.S. citizen. Do you know where your birth certificate is? It must be a birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state of birth, listing the applicant’s full name, date of birth, and place of birth, the parent(s)’ full names, has the signature of the city, county or state registrar with the date filed with registrar's office (must be within one year of birth) and has the seal or stamp of the city, county, or state which issued it.

If what you think is your birth certificate, and it does not meet these requirements, it is not acceptable documentation to register to vote. Official birth certificates are available in the county courthouse where you were born or on file with the state of Iowa.

A passport is considered evidence of citizenship, because you must provide a certified birth certificate to receive one. You also need to pay an execution fee of $30 and an application fee which ranges from $30 for a passport card or $130 for a passport book. When sending your documentation for a passport, you need to plan. It may take two weeks for your application and documentation to be received, then four to six weeks to be processed, and another two weeks for the passport to arrive in your mailbox.

Not everyone has a certified birth certificate or can afford a passport just to register to vote. People change their names. Some were born several states away. Perhaps their county courthouse is not easily reached.

The League of Women Voters conduct voter registration events in communities with low voter turnout to encourage citizens to participate in our democracy. With the SAVE Act, LWV and organizations like ours will be unable to reach out and register eligible citizens.

It’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote. The SAVE Act is not a voter ID law. Our government is now requiring citizens to have papers to prove who they are. And if you don’t have the proper paperwork, you don’t get to participate.

If you believe the SAVE Act creates an unnecessary burden on exercising our right to vote, please contact Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley to share your viewpoint before the U.S. Senate votes on this measure.

Terese Grant is copresident of the League of Women Voters of Iowa.