Newhouse Supports Bill Requiring Proof of Citizenship and Identification to Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement upon House passage of S. 1383(link is external), the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to require proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo identification to vote in federal elections.

"Election law is a complicated and intricate issue. While the Constitution grants states the power to conduct elections, the federal government has a responsibility to safeguard the integrity of federal elections," said Rep. Newhouse. "Requiring identification and proof of citizenship to vote ensures that only American citizens are participating in our democratic process. I oppose calls to 'nationalize' our elections but support common-sense reforms to make our elections more secure."

This legislation requires individuals registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship at the time of registration. It prohibits states from accepting or processing a federal voter registration application without such proof, while requiring states to establish an alternative process allowing applicants to submit other evidence to demonstrate citizenship.

It also mandates that states take ongoing steps to ensure that only U.S. citizens remain on federal voter rolls, including implementing programs to identify and remove non-citizens using information from specified data sources.

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