Op-Ed: Congress must ensure fair elections with the SAVE Act

Audio By Carbonatix

Americans want secure elections, and Democrats in the Senate are blocking legislation that would enhance election security. That’s why Tea Party Patriots Action and its allies are engaging in a nationwide bus tour to rally the grassroots to put pressure on Congress to attach a key piece of legislation to so-called “must-pass” legislation, like the annual defense authorization bill or an appropriations bill. Residents of Michigan have as much at stake as citizens in any other state, and that’s why the bus tour will be making a stop in Michigan’s capital soon.

Nearly universally, Americans agree that only U.S. citizens should vote in American elections. In fact, 87% of the public – including majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and independents – support requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, according to a recent survey conducted for Tea Party Patriots Action by McLaughlin & Associated. More than 80% believe that only citizens should choose who governs.

Under current federal law, registering to vote in federal elections requires nothing more than having an applicant check a box and sign a form affirming that he or she is a U.S. citizen. No document is required. This loophole has created confusion and opened the door to error and abuse.

This is why Congress should move fast. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act would close this loophole, and require those who register to vote to show documentary proof of citizenship – thereby making sure we know who’s on our voter rolls.

Consider: Many forms of voter ID, such as driver’s licenses and student cards, don’t say whether the holder is a citizen. But many documents, like birth certificates and U.S. passports, make citizenship absolutely clear. The SAVE Act mandates that states check citizenship status at registration, and also lets states tap into federal databases to keep voter rolls up-to-date and accurate.

After winning bipartisan support in the House this spring, the SAVE Act now sits in the Senate, stalled by Democrat opposition. With election security and public trust hanging in the balance, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Last week, a nationwide grassroots bus tour organized by Tea Party Patriots Action stopped in Lansing to rally Michigan residents and lawmakers in support of the SAVE Act. This was one of the last stops of our three-week journey across the South, West and Midwest.

Now is the time to act. The consequences of compromised elections are too serious to ignore. That’s why the SAVE Act should be attached to “must-pass” legislation. Congress must deliver on the secure, trustworthy elections that Americans demand and deserve. After all, our elections are only as secure as the voter registration process that precedes them.