The Republican-controlled Congress plans to quickly pass voting changes, including voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements, citing the need to restore public confidence in elections. The measures come after President-elect Donald Trump’s claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election fueled erosion of trust.
Republicans will focus on versions of two bills: the American Confidence in Elections Act (ACE) and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE). These proposals aim to improve voter confidence by requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote. However, Democrats oppose the measures, saying they restrict voting rights and go too far.
Democrats want to make voting easier, not harder, and propose bipartisan agreements on issues like dedicated federal funding for election offices and limiting foreign money in U.S. elections. They also argue that some state laws restricting voter IDs are too restrictive.
The current voter registration process relies on an “honor system” with loopholes, allowing noncitizens to register and vote. Republicans want to change this by forcing states to reject voter applications without proof of citizenship. However, experts say the current requirement is sufficient and that voter ID requirements can be problematic for certain groups, such as college students or those without permanent addresses.
Some states, like Georgia, have implemented successful reforms, including automatic voter registration and REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses. These measures have helped build trust in elections, with officials citing low instances of noncitizen voting.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/voting-congress-citizenship-voter-id-republicans-88342cf09d01b0555851aa3d64c45432