"The bill, called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act, would require Americans to prove they are citizens when they register to vote, mostly through a valid U.S. passport or birth certificate. It would also require a valid photo identification before voters can cast ballots, which some states already demand."
"Republicans said the legislation is needed to prevent voter fraud, but Democrats warn it will disenfranchise millions of Americans by making it harder to vote. Federal law already requires that voters in national elections be U.S. citizens, but there's no requirement to provide documentary proof. Experts said voter fraud is extremely rare, and very few noncitizens ever slip through the cracks."
""Some of my colleagues will call this voter suppression or Jim Crow 2.0," said Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., presenting the package at a committee hearing. But he said "those allegations are false," and he argued the bill is needed to enforce existing laws, particularly those that bar immigrants who are not citizens from voting. "The current law is not strong enough," he said."
The SAVE America Act would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship at voter registration, typically a passport or birth certificate, and mandate a photo ID to cast ballots. The House approved the measure 218-213 largely along party lines. Republicans argue the requirements are necessary to prevent voter fraud and enforce laws barring noncitizens from voting. Democrats warn the rules would disenfranchise millions by making voting harder. Experts say voter fraud is extremely rare and very few noncitizens vote. Fewer than one in ten Americans lack paperwork proving citizenship. The proposal faces Senate opposition and potential legal challenges.
Read at www.npr.org
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