FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
April 10, 2025

California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., Voices Concerns about Proposed Federal Legislation that would Exclude Eligible Voters from their Constitutional Right to Vote

Sacramento, Calif. – California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., voiced her concerns about the federally proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act), noting it would make it harder for all eligible voters to cast their votes and participate in our democracy.

H.R. 22 / S. 128, the SAVE Act, would dismantle the way all 50 states register voters, effectively excluding millions of American citizens, including millions of eligible California voters, from being able to exercise their constitutional right to vote. 

“Proponents of this act erroneously claim it will stop non-citizens from voting by requiring everyone registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship,” noted Secretary Weber. “The reality is, if this act is passed, the country will be turning its back on decades of voting advancements that expanded access to the ballot box.”

The SAVE Act would:
•    Create barriers for millions of voters, including the more than 26.5 million eligible California voters, by forcing all Americans to provide their citizenship status in person, when registering to vote, and each time they update their voter registration information. Millions of eligible American voters do not have a valid passport. Millions of eligible American voters who have taken their spouse’s surname do not have a birth certificate they could use to prove their identity. And more than 21 million United States citizens of voting age do not have proof of citizenship readily available.
•    Target traditionally unserved and underserved populations: Voters of color, naturalized citizens, young and older voters, members of our armed forces, and individuals with low incomes would face the most difficult hurdles to exercising their constitutional right to vote.
•    Burden election administration by imposing unrealistic, costly, and unnecessary requirements on state and local elections officials and threaten them with fines and jail time for doing their jobs.

Existing law already prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal and state elections, and voters are already required to provide election officials with information necessary to verify their identity and eligibility to vote.

“We must encourage voter participation. The SAVE Act is the Suppressing America Voters Act and will do nothing but harm voters, elections officials, and our democracy. Congress must reject it.”

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