In what has become a pivotal moment for voting rights advocacy, New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with a coalition of 17 other state attorneys general, has called on Congress to halt the passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The legislation proposes additional requirements for proving citizenship when registering to vote, a move that these top legal officials claim could significantly disenfranchise voters. According to a press release by Attorney General James, the SAVE Act aims to amend the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) by enforcing new barriers that could affect millions of legitimate voters, especially in communities of color, low-income individuals, and other vulnerable groups.
As the collective points out, the SAVE Act could result in costly ramifications for those less equipped to jump through bureaucratic hoops. "The right to vote is the very foundation of our democracy, but with this bill, Congress is threatening that right for millions of eligible voters," Attorney General James expressed in the press release. The Act demands documents like passports or birth certificates, which may not reflect current names, jeopardizing the franchise for married women and trans people. Concern was also raised regarding active-duty service members, who could face difficulties due to the inability to present documents in person, thereby undermining the very essence of the democratic participation they help defend.
The costly impact on states is considerable, as the legislation would necessitate a complete overhaul of voter registration procedures and the establishment of new systems for document verification. Calling attention to the administrative and financial burden, the coalition echoed Attorney General James's concern that, as pointed out by studies, non-citizen voting is not a widespread issue, with incidences as infrequent as 0.0001% in high immigrant population jurisdictions. The coalition emphasized that such stringent measures are not justified and instead called for a continuation of NVRA's original intent to facilitate voter registration and expansion of democratic engagement.
Throughout her tenure, Attorney General James has championed voting rights. Just this year, she defended New York's Voting Rights Act and, several months ago, the state's Early Mail Voter Act. In a notable case last April, she secured up to $1.25 million from two individuals who sought to intimidate Black voters through menacing robocalls. Additionally, Attorney General James has remained steadfast in her efforts to educate and assist New Yorkers about their voting rights and to ensure their unfettered access to the polls, as detailed by the Attorney General's Office.
The attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia lend their support to Attorney General James's call to action. With their collective influence, these legal officials are ardently urging congressional leaders to reject the SAVE Act and ensure the fundamental right to vote is preserved for all eligible Americans.
