Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act; SAVE America Act
Summary
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act) aims to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. It mandates that individuals provide documentary proof of United States citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. The bill outlines acceptable forms of documentation and establishes processes for verifying citizenship, including utilizing federal databases and inter-agency information sharing.
Expected Effects
The primary effect of this bill would be to add additional requirements for voter registration. This could potentially reduce voter fraud but may also decrease voter turnout, particularly among naturalized citizens and those who may have difficulty obtaining or presenting the required documentation. States would also incur costs associated with implementing these new verification procedures.
Potential Benefits
- Potentially reduces voter fraud by ensuring only citizens vote in federal elections.
- Increases confidence in the integrity of the electoral process.
- Provides a standardized set of documentation requirements for voter registration across states.
- Enhances the accuracy of voter rolls by removing non-citizens.
- Leverages existing federal databases to verify citizenship status.
Potential Disadvantages
- May disenfranchise eligible voters who lack easy access to required documentation.
- Could disproportionately affect naturalized citizens, minorities, and low-income individuals.
- Increases administrative burdens and costs for states to implement and maintain verification systems.
- Potential for errors in citizenship verification processes leading to wrongful denial of voter registration.
- May lead to decreased voter turnout due to increased complexity of registration.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill's constitutionality is debatable. Proponents may argue it aligns with Article I, Section 2, which allows states to set voter qualifications, and is further reinforced by the Tenth Amendment, reserving powers not delegated to the federal government to the states. Opponents might argue that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause and the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which protects the right to vote regardless of age (18 or older), by creating undue burdens on certain classes of citizens.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).