Maryland Attorney General Urges Senate to Reject Proposed Voter Registration Law

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a coalition of 12 other state attorneys general in calling on the U.S. Senate to reject the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act. The coalition expressed concerns in a letter to Senate leadership that the proposed legislation would significantly disrupt election administration, create substantial obstacles for voter registration, and ultimately disenfranchise millions of eligible voters nationwide.

The SAVE America Act, if enacted, would mandate that individuals present documentary proof of citizenship in person to register to vote or update their existing registration. This requirement would effectively eliminate the use of online, mail-in, and automatic voter registration systems across the country. The attorneys general argue that this legislation represents an overreach of federal power, infringing upon the long-held authority of states to manage their own elections and dismantling established voter registration processes that are currently utilized by both voters and election officials.

A key concern highlighted by Attorney General Brown and the participating attorneys general is the potential elimination of online voter registration, a method used by the majority of states. Furthermore, mail-in registration, a crucial option for service members and overseas voters, would also be abolished. The legislation’s impact on automatic voter registration systems, which play a role in maintaining accurate and secure voter rolls, is also expected to be detrimental. The coalition asserts that the SAVE America Act would disproportionately affect working-class individuals, those residing in rural areas, young voters, and people whose legal names may differ from those on their birth certificates. It is estimated that approximately 21 million voting-age citizens do not have ready access to documents like passports, birth certificates, or naturalization records. Additionally, nearly 80 percent of married women might not possess documentation reflecting their current legal names.

The attorneys general emphasized that citizenship is already a prerequisite for voting in federal elections, and existing federal law requires registrants to affirm their eligibility. They contend that current registration processes are effective, noting that noncitizen voting is extremely rare and has not been demonstrated to influence federal election results. Conversely, requirements for documentary proof of citizenship have a documented history of disenfranchising tens of thousands of eligible voters. Attorney General Brown and the coalition are urging the Senate to vote against the SAVE America Act and to oppose any attempts to federalize election administration. They advocate for respecting state autonomy and safeguarding the fundamental right to vote for all Americans. The attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington have joined Maryland’s Attorney General in this effort.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Maryland Attorney General.

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