Larson Votes Against Republican Bill Making It Harder for Citizens to Vote
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) voted against House Republicans’ SAVE Act, which would make it harder for Americans without passports, military service members, and married women to register to vote.
“Free and fair access to the ballot box is the bedrock of our nation’s democracy,” said Larson. “This bill will impose broad, burdensome requirements on citizens simply to register to vote. These barriers could prevent married women whose birth certificates don’t match their ID, military service members, and citizens without passports from making their voice heard at the ballot box. If Republicans were serious about protecting Americans' right to vote, they would bring up the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act that would ensure every citizen can participate in our democracy safely and securely. Instead, they are using the Big Lie of widespread voter fraud to suppress Americans citizens' access to the ballot box.”
The SAVE Act could:
Force the 34.9% of Connecticut residents who do not have passports to pay over $152 million in passport fees to register to vote
Create new barriers for the 747,439 Connecticut women with a name that does not match their birth certificate to vote
Subject Connecticut election officials to hefty criminal fines and up to five years in federal prison for simple errors