Would the SAVE Act Make it More Difficult for Married Women to Vote? White House Says No
The White House is disputing allegations that the controversial SAVE Act would make it more difficult for American married women to vote in national elections. Here is a closer look at this proposed legislation, as well as what the Trump administration is saying to critics of the bill.
White House Tries to Offer Reassurance About How SAVE Will Impact Married Women Voters
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt answered questions about the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE) recently, saying that there is "zero validity" to the allegations by Democrats that the proposed bill would make it harder for married women to cast votes. Leavitt made the remarks during a White House press briefing on March 10.
What is the concern being raised by critics of the bill? Should the SAVE Act pass, it would require that all Americans provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The bill would also mandate that voters show a current piece of approved identification when casting their ballots.
The SAVE America Act has passed the U.S. House of Representatives but remains stalled in the Senate. The bill is widely supported by Republicans, including President Donald Trump. The president said this week that he would stop signing other pieces of legislation until Congress moves forward with passing the Save Act.
The GOP is supportive of the Save ACT, arguing that the tighter restrictions are necessary to safeguard elections. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats say that the legislation would effectively disenfranchise millions of legal voters. Voting rights advocates are largely falling in line with the Democrats, particularly as the legislation applies to married women who have changed their last names.
When speaking to the press this week, Leavitt criticized Democrats on Capitol Hill, saying that their concerns were a "huge myth." Leavitt went on to say that the "SAVE America Act does not prohibit anyone from voting, with the exception of illegal aliens. And the greatest way to disenfranchise American citizens from voting in American elections is to allow illegal aliens to vote, which is what Democrats want to do."
It is already illegal for anyone but U.S. citizens to vote in federal elections. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, there is very little data to indicate that noncitizens are voting in national elections illegally.
While Leavitt asserts that the SAVE Act would not impact married women as they head to the ballot box, she did admit that the bill would create an additional set of hoops to jump through for those who have changed their name. When responding to questions from reporters, Leavitt defended the legislation by saying that there is just a "small fraction" of citizens who have changed their name or address. These individuals would need to go through specific state processes to update the required documentation, something that Leavitt said Americans are already doing every day.
How the SAVE Act Would Specifically Impact Married Women
The current voting laws require many Americans to show approved forms of identification to register to vote. The SAVE Act would take this one step further by specifically mandating that Americans show proof of citizenship. These forms of citizenship include a birth certificate or passport.
The problem with this extra layer of identification is that married women who have changed their surname would need to show citizenship documents that are the same as their current legal name. Birth certificates naturally display the maiden name, while some passports also reflect a previous legal surname.
According to the League of Women Voters and the Brennan Center for Justice, the proposed legislation would create another barrier for voter registration for married women and other Americans who have changed their names at some point in their lives.
The Brennan Center for Justice also points out that approximately 9% of Americans do not have a paper copy of their birth certificate or a passport. This translates to over 21 million people who will have extra hurdles to clear when registering to vote.
What is next for the SAVE America Act? Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Thursday that he plans to bring the bill to the Senate floor next week. Thune acknowledged that he cannot promise a positive outcome for the GOP but that he is going to "put Democrats on the record," forcing them to defend their positions.
There is tension developing within the Republican ranks over the legislation. Sen. Thom Tillis said this week that there is "0% chance" of the bill passing.
The math is not adding up for the GOP. Although the party has a slim majority in the Senate, the bill needs the support of 60 senators to move it to the president's desk to be signed into law. This means that a handful of Democrats would need to cross party lines and vote in support of the legislation.
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