What They Are Saying: State and Local Election Officials Echo Senator Padilla’s Concerns About Republicans’ SAVE Act That Would Disenfranchise Millions of Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California's former Secretary of State, highlighted the growing chorus of Secretaries of State and other key election officials who have expressed concerns about the devastating potential impacts of Republicans' Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on this week. The outpouring of concern follows Senator Padilla's letter to bipartisan state election officials across the country warning them about how the SAVE Act threatens to disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters by creating overly burdensome documentation requirements, which would make registration harder for new voters, married women, rural voters, servicemembers abroad, and the tens of millions of Americans who register to vote online or by mail.

Here is what they are saying:

Michigan Department of State: "Secretary Benson is grateful to U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla for sounding the alarm on the SAVE Act. As California's former Secretary of State, Sen. Padilla knows how this failed policy could block U.S. citizens from voting as it did in Arizona and Kansas and make it even harder for election officials to do their jobs. Congress is set to vote on the SAVE Act this week."

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver: "Thank you @SenAlexPadilla. The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy & ensuring every eligible American can cast their ballot freely & fairly is key. The so-called SAVE Act will harm voters & make our elections less secure. Learn more here."

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes: "Thank you to @SenAlexPadilla for clearly stating why Congress should reject the SAVE Act. Not only does it ignore the lessons learned by Arizona's Prop 200, but its ripple effects are also nothing short of suppression." Read his full statement here.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon: "It's my job to defend the freedom to vote. @SenAlexPadilla is right- the SAVE Act would be a disaster for American elections, and could shut out tens of millions of eligible American voters (these are U.S. citizens) who won't be able to comply."

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows: "We know is that with divorced women in particular, but also married women, they may not think to bring their marriage certificate or their own marriage certificate to the polls on election day. … The Save Act would require that every election official, under penalty of criminal prosecution, require that every voter updating their voter registration or registering to vote for the first time bring documentary proof of their citizenship."

Democratic Association of Secretaries of State: "REMINDER: If passed, the SAVE Act would strip millions of eligible Americans of their right to vote."

Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Registrar of Voters Kristin Connelly: "As a local election official, I have the responsibility to ensure that all eligible voters can participate freely and fairly in elections. That's why I want voters to understand the harm that would be caused by passing the SAVE Act. … The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act claims to solve a problem that doesn't exist. It's based on false information that spread ahead of the 2024 election, suggesting that noncitizens are voting in large numbers. That's simply not true."

Santa Cruz County Clerk Tricia Webber: "Election offices will not receive federal or state funding to implement these new changes or perform outreach to voters in order to educate them on the new process. Voters will have to take time off from work to obtain the necessary documentation and come in person to register to vote, as well as spend funds to get the necessary documentation, drive to and from their home to the elections office at least once every time there is a change to their registration."

Senator Padilla has led the charge opposing President Trump and Republicans' reckless attempts to restrict the right to vote. Last week, Padilla led 11 Senators in introducing the Defending America's Future Elections Act to repeal Trump's illegal anti-voter executive order and prevent the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive voter registration data and state records. Padilla also led 14 Democratic Senators in calling on Trump to revoke his illegal anti-voter executive order and issued a statement slamming the order when it was announced.

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