Editor,
First, the SAVE Act is a solution for a nonproblem. Every study shows that voter fraud of all kinds, including noncitizens attempting to vote, occurs at a microscopic rate: less than 0.003% or lower of all votes cast. This includes the comprehensive study by the conservative, Project 25 Heritage Foundation. Voter fraud is not “widespread,” despite what some pundits tell everyone.
Second, the SAVE Act — H.R.22 and S.128 — would impose undue burdens on citizens. There would be fees involved in a citizen’s obtaining the required documentation — i.e., a poll tax, which is illegal under federal law. This act does not prohibit the federal or state governments from charging fees to persons to verify citizenship; it only prohibits the federal government from charging a fee to states that request information.
Even if a person wants to register to vote online or by mail with the appropriate documentation, the SAVE Act requires that person present the documentation in person at a designated election office. Tens of millions of rural citizens could have to travel hours to the nearest election office; even suburban and city citizens might have long travel times depending on traffic or public transit.
Voting is a civil right. It is the duty of government to protect any civil right. The government should itself make every effort to ensure that every citizen has the appropriate documentation to register to vote, at no cost or undue bureaucratic burden to the citizen.
Mike Forster
Palo Alto
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(2) comments
Republicans have a steadily growing reason to fear the voters!
Jorg we do fear illegal voters and the uninformed ignorant democrat sheep who are allowed to vote. If I use the writers logic that very few people who should not vote actually vote and that it doesn’t matter, then can I apply the same logic to the following? if your wife was killed by an illegal voter, but since she was the only person killed that year, then it’s not a big deal? Of course not and you shouldn’t trivialize things. One of my favorite cartoons said it best.
Two men talking.
A. Shouldn’t voters have to pass an intelligence test?
B. You don’t have to be intelligent to vote
A. What if there are more stupid people than intelligent people
B. Then the Democrat wins.
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