Oppose efforts to deny eligible voters their right
By The Herald Editorial Board
A little more than 250 days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections and efforts continue to upset a system of elections in Washington state — including a vote-by-mail system used successfully for 35 years — that assures access to a keystone of democracy and deserved confidence in that process.
No fewer than three bills have been proposed in Congress, including the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE), which has passed the House and now has the support of 50 Republican senators; enough for passage if joined by the vice president’s tie-breaking vote; were it not for the current filibuster rule’s 60-vote threshold.
The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate when registering to vote, while the SAVE America act would also require that same proof in order to cast a ballot; the Make Elections Great Again Act would go even further, banning universal mailing of ballots to registered voters and invalidating mailed ballots received after Election Day, among other requirements.
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If required to show proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, more than 21 million Americans lack ready access to such documents, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. About half of American don’t have a passport and millions lack access to a physical copy of their birth certificate. Additionally, millions of women whose names differ on their identification would have to produce a marriage certificate or other document in order to explain the change in names.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-oppose-efforts-to-deny-eligible-voters-their-right/