US House Passes Bill That Will Ensure US Citizens Vote in Federal Elections
Photo: Louis Velasquez / Unsplash
Legislation requiring individuals to “provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship” for voter registration was approved on Thursday by the US House of Representatives and now awaits a vote from the senate.
The bill in question is the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act), which aims to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and ensure only US citizens are voting in federal elections.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the following forms of identification are options for those under the SAVE Act:
- “A REAL ID-compliant driver’s license that “indicates the applicant is a citizen.”
- A valid U.S. passport.
- A military ID card with a military record of service that lists the applicant’s birthplace as in the U.S.
- A valid government-issued photo ID that shows the applicant’s birthplace was in the U.S.
- A valid government-issued photo ID presented with a document such as a certified birth certificate that shows the birthplace was in the U.S.”
If the SAVE Act is ultimately passed, documentation must be provided before state voter registration deadlines to local election officials. Along with new registrants, each time a voter changes anything in their registration – including a change in name, or choosing to vote by mail – they must present proof of US citizenship in person to an election official in order for that change to go into effect
The AP noted that voters in rural areas may have an issue with this due to distance between their homes and the closest election offices.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the GOP “would need to pick up at least seven Democratic votes to advance the measure past the chamber’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.”
