Rep. Vasquez Opposes the SAVE Act, Calls It a Dangerous Attempt to Suppress the Right to Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) issued the following statement ahead of the House vote on the Republican-led SAVE Act:

"Let's call this bill what it is: a voter suppression bill. The SAVE Act would make it harder for veterans, seniors, rural residents, married women, and Tribal members to vote-all under the false pretense of election security. This is a direct attack on the rights of the very people I represent in southern New Mexico. I will be voting no, just like I did last Congress. Our democracy works best when all citizens can participate in an inclusive voting process."

Background on the SAVE Act

The SAVE Act would require voters to present a narrow set of government-issued documents to prove citizenship before registering to vote in federal elections. Critics, including voting rights and civil liberties organizations, say the bill would disenfranchise millions of eligible U.S. citizens-particularly:

• Veterans whose military paperwork does not include proof of citizenship,
  
• Tribal members who rely on sovereign ID forms are not recognized under this law,
  
• Women and seniors whose legal documents may not match due to marriage or name changes,
  
• And rural or colonia residents who face geographic and financial barriers to accessing documentation services.
  

In New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, which includes large rural and Tribal populations, the impact would be especially severe.

Rep. Vasquez voted against the SAVE Act when it was first introduced in 2023 and has continued to oppose efforts to restrict ballot access under the guise of election security.

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