House passes voter registration bill that would require proof of citizenship

Bill would create big problems for young voters 

ICYMI - Today, 220 members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted yes for the worst voting bill in modern history, the so-called “SAVE Act” (H.R. 22). For the past two weeks, GenVoters across the country have been mobilizing in our communities to oppose this disastrous bill that would require American citizens to show in-person a birth certificate or passport to register to vote. From North Carolina to Arizona and Florida, GenVoters have been organizing youth phone-banks, marching, and dropping off petitions at congressional offices demanding our leaders reject the SAVE act. 

 

Let’s be clear: The so-called “SAVE Act” saves nobody and can impact our generation’s future for decades. By requiring eligible voters to provide a limited list of proof-of-citizenship documents in-person, it will effectively eliminate voter registration that helps young people the most like online and mail voter registration. It will upend voter registration drives on college campuses and high schools as we know it and cause chaos at polling places. 

 

With our friends at Next Gen America, Sunrise Movement, Alliance for Youth Action, we sent a letter to our leaders in Congress demanding they reject this anti-voter bill because of its potential impact on millions of young people: 

• 31% of adult citizens, ages 18-29, face potential voting difficulties due to their lack of ID.
• 41% of young Americans ages 18-24, and 38% of young Americans ages 25-29, indicate not having a driver’s license with their current name and/or address.
• 16% of men 18-29 don’t have or can’t find their documented proof of citizenship.
• Only 53% of US youth, ages 18-29, have a passport.