trump Goes After Our Right to VOTE

Trump signs sweeping executive order targeting election rules

Election law experts were quick to question whether the order is legal.

If allowed to go into effect, it could disrupt how Americans vote and have their ballots counted in ways that may disenfranchise many legitimate voters for every potential illegitimate voter it stops...

Hasen also said any change to the voter registration form is “huge.” He called the order an attempt to circumvent Congress to put the ideas outlined in the Republican-led SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, on the federal registration form. 

Trump’s Latest Order Will Disenfranchise Millions/Sec. of State Adrian Fontes

Millions of Americans don't have easy access
 to proof-of-citizenship documents

Here is a sampling of what's coming...

The requirement to show proof of citizenship would apply to new voters as well as existing voters who update their registrations, such as after a move or name change.

But one in 10 voting-age American citizens, or an estimated 21.3 million people, either don't have a proof-of-citizenship document like a birth certificate, passport or naturalization certificate, or don't have easy access to one, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by voting rights groups. The survey found people of color are more likely not to have a document proving citizenship.

Obtaining these documents takes time and money. Only about 43% of Americans have passports, according to an analysis by the Voting Rights Lab. The bill says voters can show an ID that indicates citizenship, but currently only five states — Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington — offer IDs that meet that criteria.

Voters who don't have a citizenship document with a photo, like a passport, would need to show two documents — such as a government-issued photo ID along with a document proving citizenship, like a birth certificate.

"Adding more requirements to the process — especially costly, unnecessary ones that are a sudden and dramatic departure from existing requirements — will depress turnout overall," said Lauren Kunis, executive director of VoteRiders, a nonpartisan organization that helps people obtain ID to vote.

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The “SAVE” Act’s barriers could strip millions of eligible Americans of our right to vote – especially the 146 million Americans without passports and the 69 million American women whose birth certificates don’t match their married names. [1]

It’s a direct assault on our voting rights, targeting seniors, women, students, veterans, and rural voters the most.