It appears that that one or both houses of the United States Congress will vote this week on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R.22 & S.128). This bill requires all Americans to prove their citizenship status by presenting documentation — like a passport or birth certificate — when registering to vote or updating their registration. And it requires that this be done in-person. This in-person requirement would wipe-out or upend long-standing and popular methods of voter registration such as by mail, online, and via voter registration drives (like the very ones organized by REV UP Virginia during Disability Voting Rights Week).
Unquestionably, the SAVE Act will adversely affect disabled Virginian voters by creating additional barriers to accessing the ballot box. Multiple studies have shown disabled individuals are less likely to have accepted forms of identification and are also less likely to drive or have accessible transportation options. Federal law already requires that voters verify their identity and U.S. citizenship when they register. If enacted, this law would be harmful AND unnecessary.
Contact your Congressional representatives this week and tell them to OPPOSE the SAVE Act. Also tell them how this bill affects YOU. Members of Congress want to hear YOUR personal stories.
Our democracy is stronger when ALL eligible voters have equal access to the ballot box. In addition to disabled Americans, the SAVE Act would make it harder to vote for people of color, naturalized citizens, low-income individuals, and people who have changed their names, like married and transgender individuals. So please don’t wait, call or email your Representative and Senators TODAY and SHOW THE POWER OF THE DISABILITY VOTE! And please share this Alert with your networks.
