There’s only one reason for opposition to SAVE Act

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 15th, 2024, and is currently stalled in the U.S. Senate. It was sponsored by Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) in the House of Representatives and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) in the U.S. Senate. The SAVE Act requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.  

Since the bill was introduced, there has been opposition from the entire Democratic party and surprisingly, Republican Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Thom Tillis (R-NC). Good luck with your next election.

The reasons for opposition are interesting. The primary concern cited by most is the requirement for voters to prove citizenship with either a passport or birth certificate. The argument is that millions of Americans do not have access to these documents and therefore, it would prevent U.S. citizens from voting.

This concern begs a question. What American citizen does not have a birth certificate or passport? In order to have a U.S. passport issued, you must prove citizenship. Citizenship is proven by providing a copy of your birth certificate. It’s actually pretty simple. Passports are expensive, so that is certainly a valid concern. It’s estimated that over 50% of Americans do not have a passport. But what U.S. citizen does not have a copy of their birth certificate?

You need a birth certificate (or passport) when filing an I-9 to prove you are eligible to work in the United States. You need a birth certificate to get a marriage license or adopt a child. You need a birth certificate to enroll in public school or apply to a university. You need a birth certificate when applying for the military, social security benefits or welfare assistance. 

Here’s a news flash for everyone. You can obtain a copy of your birth certificate by going to the town or city hall where you were born. If you live far away, you can request it by mail. And for those who need even more reasons why this excuse is unacceptable, you can order your birth certificate online from anywhere via www.vitalcheck.com. Now what is left for excuses?

The cost associated with acquiring a birth certificate will likely be the next reason and I have a suggestion. The SAVE Act should be updated so those who need a copy of their birth certificate in order to vote, are eligible to receive one free copy. That would eliminate any and all valid excuses immediately. Actually, the next excuse will be that people who don’t have internet access can’t get a free copy of their birth certificate.

It’s also important to point out that a driver’s license is not proof of citizenship and therefore would not meet the requirements of the SAVE Act, as the only thing needed to acquire a driver’s license is proof of legal residency. And believe it or not, 19 states and Washington D.C. issue drivers licenses without requiring proof of legal residence. That’s an entirely separate concern that we’ll tackle at a later time.

Democrats argue that non-citizen voting is not a real problem, and it’s already considered a crime if a non-citizen votes in a federal election and no state allows non-citizens to vote in statewide elections. While that may be true, what’s wrong with requiring proof of citizenship in order to register to vote to alleviate concerns and truly ensure election integrity? It’s illegal for someone under 21 to purchase alcohol, so it’s required they prove their age. How is that any different?

The real reason every single Democrat opposes the SAVE Act is they want and need non-citizens and illegal aliens to vote in elections for Democrats to win. It’s the only way they can win. It’s not a secret and it’s glaringly obvious. There is no other logical reason for opposing proof of citizenship in order to vote.

This strategy was exposed when Democrats opened the border and allowed millions of undocumented, illegal aliens to infiltrate our country. The question to ask is similar. Why would Democrats knowingly allow millions of illegal aliens to come to America? The answer is the same reason why they oppose the SAVE Act. They need illegal immigrants to vote in order to win, because the vast majority of hard-working Americans who love our country will never vote for radical left wing extremists whose long-term strategy is to change the country we know, love and have worked so hard to build.

Chris Thompson’s ([email protected]) column is published weekly on howiecarrshow.com and livefreepressnh.com