Here’s how the SAVE Act could make it harder for married women to vote

The conservative Safeguard American Voter Eligibility or SAVE Act has passed the GOP-led House of Representatives, which would impose additional hurdles on citizens registering to vote.

The Republican party has made ‘election security’ a major part of their campaign, incorrectly claiming that millions of non-citizens are voting. This is not the case.

Organizations, including the libertarian think tank, the CATO Institute have shown that there is little evidence to make the claim that non-citizens are voting at levels that challenge the integrity of elections.

Does that mean that more can’t be done? No, but officials should consider solutions that do not impose requirements on citizens that could impeed their right to vote. For instance, registration data can be compared to systems that track immigration status. However, even in those cases, citizens can see their name removed from the voter rolls if the database used by the state is not up to date and does not include information on their naturalization.

Nevertheless, the Republican-led House has passed the SAVE Act, and Democrats are raising concerns about the way it could impact married women in particular. GOP leaders have dismissed these criticisms out of hand, again relying on the false narrative that the Democratic leaders are allowing non-citizens to vote.

The law, if passed by the Senate and signed into law by the president, would require those looking to register or alter their registration to visit their local election office with proof of citizenship in hand. The law does state that an effort must be made to make the process easier for people with disabilities, but does not outline how exactly these exceptions should be made and will likely vary from state to state.

How have registration requirements changed?

Under the SAVE Act, anytime a citizen registers or re-registers, either because they have moved, changed their name or their party affiliation, they will be required to provide proof of citizenship to their county election office.

A REAL ID, a passport, or a military ID and service records that show a person was born in the US, or has been naturalized, can be used.

Starting May 7, federal law will require a REAL ID or passport be shown to board a plane. According to the US State Department, less than half of all US citizens have a passport, which costs $130 to obtain. Though states are encouraging those renewing their license or ID to obtain a REAL ID, they must provide documents to prove their identity that are costly to request, leaving many to reapply for a traditional license (that they would not be able to fly with).

The focus on married women

When those with none of the three forms of ID mentioned above wish to register, they will need to provide their birth certificate, naturalization records, or their adoption records. However, the name on these records might not match the name on their state issued ID they will not be allowed to register, which has led Democrats to raise concerns about married women and infringement on their right to vote. Around 69 million women fall into this category, before one considers those who have made other changes to their legal name, that would not be reflected on their birth certificate.

Individuals in this situation have faced additional hurdles in obtaining a REAL ID, because they have to provide additional documentation to prove their identity, including marriage licenses. REAL ID, though now chamopined by Republcian officials, has its dissidents within the party, including Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, who sees the additional requirements as a mechanism of control that does make the country safer. Though Representative Massie has said that REAL ID has little to do with “election integrity,” he did eventually vote to approve the SAVE Act, though he had opposed the bill.

Democrat Danielle Friel Otten, a State Representative in Pennsylvania, released an explainer on the SAVE Act this week, after receiving questions from her constituents. The lawmakers spoke to the challenges some married women in her district had faced, and the high cost of requesting these documents from the state to obtain the enhanced ID. Representative Friel Otten labeled these costs a poll tax, and as such critizied the legislation as imposing financial burns on the poorest members of society to cast their ballot.

Republicans accuse Democrats of fear-mongering over these arguments but choose to justify their actions based on election security, implying that those citizens negatively affected by these new rules should believe that the changes are worthwhile pursuits to ensure non-citizens aren’t allowed to vote... even if that means they can’t vote either.

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