ACTION ALERT: Protect the Freedom to Vote

Today around 5:00pm, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the passage of the House amendment to S. 1383, titled the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections. States would be prohibited from processing voter registration applications unless applicants provide specific documentation such as a U.S. passport, certified birth certificate, or naturalization certificate.

The SAVE Act would create a new federal requirement that goes beyond existing voter ID laws in most states by mandating specific documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote. This proposal fundamentally changes federal voter registration by replacing the long-standing system of sworn attestation, in which applicants affirm their citizenship under penalty of perjury, with a system that conditions registration on possession of specific government-issued documents that are not easily obtained by many Americans who are eligible to vote. 

What This Bill Will Do

• Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections
• Prohibit states from processing applications without specified documents
• Impose in-person proof requirements with mail registration
• Mandate expanded voter roll reviews using federal databases and require states to remove individuals determined not to be U.S. citizen
• Establish enforcement provisions and criminal penalties related to registration without required proof

Who Will Be Harmed

This legislation creates significant barriers for eligible voters, including:

• Low-income individuals who cannot afford document fees and related costs
• Seniors, especially those born at home or to midwives, whose birth records may be incomplete, inaccurate, or difficult to obtain
• College students who may not have ready access to original documents while living away from home
• Black and Brown communities, who are more likely to experience documentation disparities due to longstanding historical inequities

And many others whose ability to participate in our democracy should not depend on wealth, access to government records, transportation, mobility, or the capacity to navigate complex bureaucratic systems.

A U.S. passport can cost $130–$165. Certified birth certificates require state fees and administrative processing. For many eligible voters, these costs, along with time off work, transportation, and bureaucratic hurdles, are not minor inconveniences. They are real obstacles.

This legislation risks having a discriminatory effect by placing the heaviest burdens on communities already facing economic and systemic inequities.

Access to the ballot is a fundamental expression of human dignity and democratic participation. Policies that disenfranchise eligible voters undermine that principle.

Contact your Representative and Senators and urge them to oppose the SAVE America Act amendment to S. 1383.

Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asked to be connected to your representative and senators. Email your both your representative and senators by clicking the button above or below.

Sample Script:

“My name is [Name], and I am a constituent from [City/State]. I urge you to oppose the SAVE America Act amendment to S. 1383. This bill creates unnecessary barriers to voter registration that could disenfranchise voters. Please protect equal access to the ballot and vote NO.”

Our faith tradition calls us to protect the dignity, voice, and participation of every person. The freedom to vote must remain accessible to all eligible citizens.