Today, in a 218-213 vote, the House passed the SAVE America Act (S. 1383), a bill that would make it more difficult for U.S. citizens to vote in person or by mail.
NALC opposed this bill and sent a letter to representatives urging them to vote “no” ahead of the vote.
Even though voting by mail is a popular, safe and secure option, and nearly 1 in 3 Americans voted by mail in 2024, S. 1383 would put numerous restrictions on who can vote by mail. If implemented, mail-in ballots would be rejected unless a form of identification were included, making an already secure and reliable process more difficult.
The bill would also implement a nationwide, mandatory photo ID requirement for voting in federal elections, whether in person or by mail. It would further limit access to the ballot box by making registering to vote and maintaining registration more difficult. To register or update registration, voters would be required to present a valid passport or birth certificate. Tens of millions of Americans do not have passports, and birth certificates present complications, particularly for married women who change their last names. Subsequent documentation would be required to account for a name change.
Instances of non-citizens voting are extremely rare. In 2024, election officials found no evidence of widespread or systemic fraud.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uphill battle.
House passage of the SAVE America Act is just the latest in the Republican majority’s continued interest in bills that would make it more difficult to vote, including a committee hearing this week that focused on another voter suppression bill, the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act (H.R. 7300).
These types of bills undermine the validity and security of vote-by-mail while making it more difficult for U.S. citizens to vote. NALC opposes any effort that suppresses Americans’ voting rights.
Vote for save America act! Everyone should have to provide an ID to vote… No brainer