1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

The proposed SAVE Act raises serious concerns about voter suppression and disenfranchisement. Requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration would create significant barriers, as an estimated 21.3 million eligible American citizens lack easy access to such documents. People of color are disproportionately affected. The burden would fall heavily on married women who changed their names, as up to 69 million may not have matching birth certificates. Rural voters and those relying on public transit would face difficulties traveling to government offices. Election officials have implementation concerns and could face criminal penalties for mistakes. While safeguarding election integrity is important, existing laws already prohibit non-citizen voting. This measure appears to be an unnecessary overreach that would depress voter turnout among eligible citizens without evidence of a widespread problem. I urge you to reject this bill and instead focus efforts on expanding access to the ballot for all Americans.