WS Chronicle

By Howard Pearre 

With all the swirling political turmoil, a proposed federal law that would erect significant barriers to voting may have escaped wide notice. The SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act) has passed in the U.S. House and now is being considered in the U.S. Senate. 

The SAVE Act would require anyone wishing to register to vote to prove their U.S. citizenship by presenting a birth certificate or passport to register, or to update their registration because of a move, change of name, or change of party affiliation. The act would also require that these documents be presented to election officials “in person,” thereby causing significant difficulty for anyone who does not have easy access to transportation to a board of elections office.  

Because of the “in person” provision, the act would eliminate voter drives conducted by volunteers which, in the past, have accounted for a significant portion of new and updated registrations. Importantly, married women who changed their last name may face the extra burden of presenting their marriage license as well, because their birth certificate likely will indicate a different name from that listed on their photo ID driver’s license. 

State and federal laws already require a person to be a U.S. citizen to qualify to vote and North Carolina uses rigorous processes including ID verification, voter photo ID, and weekly list maintenance to ensure that only eligible citizens cast ballots.  

Voters of color would be disproportionately impacted. According to the non-partisan Democracy NC, citizens of color are three times more likely to lack documents like birth certificates and passports than white citizens. Also, according to Democracy NC, the fee for a new passport is $165, and ordering a birth certificate may cost up to $60, which would pose a prohibitive financial hardship for many. 

The League of Women Voters has called the SAVE Act “A dangerous step backward for our democracy.” In a press release, Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States, said, “The SAVE Act is based on misinformation and fear mongering rather than facts, as there is no evidence of widespread non-citizen voter registration or voting in state and federal elections. Instead, the SAVE Act will create new barriers to voter registration by requiring submission of documentary proof of citizenship materials in person every time a voter updates their registration, which particularly harms rural voters, voters of color, married women who have changed their last names, and other voters who have been historically marginalized who already face obstacles in accessing the ballot box.” 

With the Save Act on the table, there are two imperative action steps to take now: 

1. If you need to update your registration because of an address change, name change, or party affiliation change OR if you are not registered to vote in North Carolina, you should update or register as soon as possible before this restrictive law can be enacted. If you know of someone else who needs to do this, you should urge them to take care of this right away. You can do this at the Forsyth County Board of Elections or search “NC VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION” in Google to print a form that you can mail in or deliver to the Board of Elections. If you have an NC driver’s license, you can register online by searching for “NC ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION” in Google to find links and instructions.
2. Contact Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd by phone, email, or by leaving a message on their webpage to express opposition to the SAVE Act. 

N.C. considering banning voter registration drives 

A North Carolina proposed law, “House Bill 127 (Voter Registration Drive Form)” also would end the practice of volunteer and non-profit organizations conducting voter registration drives by banning the distribution of printed voter registration forms. Volunteer organizations wanting to conduct drives would be required to register with the county and use “sample forms” for instructional purposes only.  

Citizens wishing to register then would have to obtain the actual forms on their own and submit the completed forms to the board of elections. In addition to causing unnecessary confusion, these extra steps would cause significant inconvenience and would discourage registering and voting. 

HB 127 would impose a Class 2 misdemeanor penalty (up to 60 days in jail or a $1,000 fine) for anyone other than election officials using actual registration forms to assist citizens to register or update their registration.  

ACT NOW to protect your right to vote. Contact your U.S.senators and N.C. State representatives to let them know you oppose these two proposed laws that will impact everyone’s right to vote. 

Howard Pearre retired after a career as a counselor and manager with N.C. Vocational Rehabilitation and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. He has led training workshops on voter registration and is a member of Winston-Salem Writers.