Individuals may need to provide documentation of citizenship when registering to vote and photo ID to vote if a new bill passes through the Senate and House, which will add barriers for student voters, according to Erin Clausen, San Luis Obispo public information officer.
Rep. Chip Roy from Texas and Sen. Mike Lee from Utah introduced the SAVE America Act on Jan. 29, and it serves as a revised version of the SAVE Act, which passed through the House but fell short in the Senate last April. SAVE stands for Safeguard American Voter Eligibility.
Clausen explained the bill’s potential impact on out-of-state students.
“Students might have to acquire and present documentation they don’t already have. That could take time and money,” Clausen said. “And if a student from Oregon or Colorado came into our office to register, would we have to confirm the validity of an out-of-state birth certificate? What’s the training for that? What happens if we get it wrong?”
Republicans argue illegal immigrants have swayed the results of previous elections. Lee’s website states that by requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship, the act will ensure only U.S. citizens decide the outcome of federal elections.
Republicans introduced the bill following years of the Republican Party questioning the integrity of elections in America, which dates back to President Trump claiming the 2020 election was “stolen,” according to previous coverage by the Associated Press.
Clausen addressed the concerns of undocumented citizens voting.
“There is very little documented proof of non-citizens voting,” Clausen said. “It seems like the act could have unintended consequences, all in an effort to solve a problem that doesn’t necessarily exist.”
Jaxon Emery, a chemistry freshman, disagrees with the nature of the law.
“It will make it significantly harder for many younger voters, people of color and married women to vote,” Emery said. “People who often vote Democrat.”
Democrats believe the bill could lead to nationwide voter disenfranchisement by requiring voters to provide criteria that millions of American citizens do not meet, according to an article published by the Brennan Center for Justice.
Minority communities lack forms of identification such as birth certificates and proof of citizenship at the highest rates in the United States, according to the Democracy Docket website. Eighteen percent of Democratic voters are Black and 16% are Hispanic whereas 3% of Republican voters are Black and 10% of Republican voters are Hispanic, according to Pew data. Minority communities’ tendency to vote Democrat could then impact the Democratic Party more than the Republican Party.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned this version of the SAVE Act may have the same outcome as the initial proposal, claiming that Republicans are “not even close” to passing the legislation. Democrats have worked diligently to prevent this bill from becoming law, according to BBC, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowing to stop the bill from passing in a recent interview with Forbes News.
Thune indicates the bill will hit the Senate floor in the coming weeks. However, the Senate has not announced a concrete date to vote on the legislation.