WASHINGTON, DC — League of Women Voters of the United States issued the following statement in response to the House passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act:
“Instead of advancing meaningful legislation that would ensure real progress in voting rights, our elected leaders in Washington are spreading disinformation about our elections.
“Let’s be clear, there is absolutely no evidence of widespread non-citizen voting in federal or state elections. For a non-US citizen to fraudulently cast a ballot, they would risk their immigration status, criminal prosecution, and the possibility of naturalization in the future. The penalties for this crime are serious, and our laws already bar non-citizen voting and prevent illegal registration and voting. False claims about non-citizens voting in federal and state elections are a pretext for undermining our access to vote, and they spread disinformation about voting.
“Eligible US citizens are voting in record numbers because they care about who represents them at the state and federal levels. By requiring documentary proof of American citizenship to register to vote, the SAVE Act will create unnecessary barriers for all eligible Americans to participate in the registration and voting process. The legislation is a blatant attempt to erode voter confidence ahead of the November elections and undermine election integrity based on lies about who is voting. These claims are born out of an anti-immigrant agenda in direct opposition to this country’s values.
“The right to vote is the fundamental promise of democracy, and we must protect it at all costs. We need our elected officials to prioritize impactful legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act that would strengthen voting rights instead of bills that sow disinformation and fear.
“The League of Women Voters will continue to advocate for pro-voter legislation that would strengthen the freedom to vote and build a fairer democracy.”
###