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You are here: Home / Archives for Right to Vote / Voting Rights

Voting Rights

Reminder: The SAVE Act Is Scheduled for a House Vote This Week

by Rose Judson|  April 9, 20253:50 pm| 25 Comments

This post is in: 2025 Activism, Right to Vote, Voting Rights, Activism, The Horrors

Bonjour all. I’m dealing with some terrible allergy symptoms and hosting some house guests who just arrived from the U.S. They seem to be capable of entertaining themselves even if I’m a bit under the weather, though:

Reminder: The SAVE Act Is Scheduled for a House Vote This Week

(Those are my parents. I’d put my money on Mom if I were you.)

The main reason I am ducking in here is to remind everyone to call their reps about the SAVE Act, a/k/a the “disenfranchise millions of women” act:

Are you a woman who changed your name when you got married?

Congress is considering a bill that could make it much harder for you to vote.

Call your rep—this is not a drill. indivisible.org/resource/cal…

[image or embed]

— Hillary Rodham Clinton (@hillaryclinton.bsky.social) April 9, 2025 at 5:31 PM

It would also disenfranchise those of us who live overseas, including military service members. Here’s a suggested call and messaging script from Democrats Abroad that you can use as a starting point for any calls you make:

Calls:

My name is (NAME) and I am a constituent of Representative (NAME). My zip code is XXXXX. I care deeply about my country and my right to vote. I am calling to ask Rep <name> to oppose the SAVE Act. This bill would disenfranchise me because I am not able to register to vote in person and would massively undermine democracy in the United States. Will <name> protect my right to vote?

Message them on social media. Here’s a sample script:

Military & overseas voters rely on mail-in voter registration. The SAVE Act would make it harder for millions of U.S. citizens to vote. @yourrep, reject this attack on voting rights! #ProtectOurVotes

Obviously, strip out the stuff about mail-in registration and talk about proving your citizenship instead if you’re a married woman who changed her name (or married to a woman who changed her name).

That’s what I got. Off to find the parents extra towels (and some butter for the baguettes). Open thread.

Reminder: The SAVE Act Is Scheduled for a House Vote This WeekPost + Comments (25)

Sinking the SAVE Act

by Rose Judson|  March 17, 20253:43 pm| 98 Comments

This post is in: Right to Vote, Voting Rights, The Horrors

I regret to inform you that there’s another hair-on-fire reason to call your reps. Representative Chip Roy’s (R-TX) Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE) is likely coming up for a vote soon, per Indivisible HQ. It would effectively disenfranchise millions within the US—with a disproportionate impact on married women and anyone else who has changed their name, including transgender folks. It would also basically end voting from abroad.

[ETA: Via CCL in the comments, the bill is being fast-tracked. It’s currently listed as H.R. 22, and you can follow its progress here. Thanks, CCL!]

A few of its provisions include:

  • Voters must appear in person to register to vote, even if they currently reside abroad (effectively ending mail-in registration, voter registration drives, and online registration)
  • Voters must provide documentary proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport with their current legal name on it (21 million people, including many married women who took their husbands’ surnames)
  • Election workers who improperly register a voter—even one who is a legitimate citizen—face up to five years in prison

It would also require all states to carry out regular voter-roll purges. More delights in these explainers by the Center for American Progress (CAP), Democrats Abroad, and the Campaign Legal Center.

We do not have to imagine the impact this bill could have. There was a dry-run of it just last week in New Hampshire, which recently enacted a similar state law. From New Hampshire Public Radio:

In Hopkinton, 70-year-old Betsy Spencer did end up casting a ballot, but it took plenty of doing.

Spencer has lived and voted in Hopkinton for decades, but briefly relocated to Maine where she cast a ballot in November’s election. She moved back to Hopkinton last month, and when she arrived at the polls to register Tuesday, she thought she was prepared.

“I had my birth certificate, a change of address from the US Postal Service — everything but my blood type and the kitchen sink — and I was told I could not register to vote,” Spencer said.

The issue, Spencer said, was that her surname on her birth certificate is different from how she was registering to vote.

“When I divorced, I kept my last name for consistency with my family,” Spencer said. “The idea that women have to prove their name change is profoundly sexist and limiting.”

Spencer said after local election officials consulted with the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office, her expired passport was deemed sufficient proof of ID for her to register and vote. But she said casting her ballot ended up taking several hours.

CAP estimates that there are as many as 69 million women in the US who take their husband’s surname after marriage. While some fraction of us would be able to produce a passport, it isn’t a large fraction of us. And, while another woman voter in NH mentioned in the article was able to vote after showing her marriage license as well as her birth certificate, there is no such provision in the SAVE Act.

The ACLU has a good script in the sidebar of this page. If you’re calling in a red or reddish-purple district, be sure to mention the fact that military voters serving our nation abroad would be disenfranchised by this. We could stop this with the filibuster in the senate, but . . . well, I guess we can but try.

Sinking the SAVE ActPost + Comments (98)

Newsworthy on this Wednesday Afternoon

by WaterGirl|  April 24, 20245:15 pm| 118 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics, Supreme Court Corruption, Voter Suppression, Voting Rights

A few quick things from me, now back to work.

BREAKING: The Arizona House has voted to REPEAL the 1864 abortion ban. Three republicans joined democrats to kill it. It goes to the senate next.

— Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) April 24, 2024

.

Breaking: The MAGA Supreme Court majority appears ready to rule that the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” doesn’t extend to women with pregnancy complications or who otherwise need abortions.

This is horrifying, and it is because of Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/LYXeFXkFRp

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 24, 2024

.

🚨BREAKING: Federal Court BLOCKS new Montana voter suppression law. Congratulations to the ELG team who litigated the case and our clients.https://t.co/LdvgGBYvbU

— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) April 24, 2024

.

I was hoping our breakup would never become public. We had such a great thing while it lasted James. I will miss the time we spent together. I will miss our conversations. I will miss the pet names you gave me. I only wish you the best and hope you find happiness. https://t.co/PwxF3XnaPV

— Jared Moskowitz (@JaredEMoskowitz) April 24, 2024

.

Deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Donald Payne Jr., a good friend, highly effective public servant and compassionate leader.

My prayers and support are with the Payne family and his loved ones during this difficult time.

May he forever Rest in Peace.

👑👑👑🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/QXWkJPhzGv

— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) April 24, 2024

Update: mistermix and I posted within 2 minutes of each other, so I pulled mine for awhile. I see that he covered the AZ 1864 bill, too, but I’m leaving that in anyway.

Newsworthy on this Wednesday AfternoonPost + Comments (118)

Monday Morning Open Thread: Moving Forward, Regardless

by Anne Laurie|  July 10, 20236:40 am| 156 Comments

This post is in: Elections 2024, Open Threads, President Biden, Republican Stupidity, Voting Rights

Field trip!

President Joe Biden has left Winfield House in Regent's Park, London to make his journey to 10 Downing Street ahead of his meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/myYHzxIxW1

— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 10, 2023


 
A mantra for our times:

Crazy how finding out is so much less fun than fucking aroundhttps://t.co/6iq46KCvt9

— Hemry, Local Bartender (@BartenderHemry) July 9, 2023

We of the GOP will invent a newer, better, stronger wheel!…

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Per Politico, “GOP states quit the program that fights voter fraud. Now they’re scrambling”:

Over the past year and a half, eight Republican-led states quit a nonpartisan program designed to keep voter rolls accurate and up to date.

Top Republican election officials in those states publicly argued the program was mismanaged. The conspiracy theorists who cheered them on falsely insisted it was a front for liberals to take control of elections.

But experts say the program, known as the Electronic Registration Information Center, was among the best nationwide tool states had to catch people trying to vote twice in the same election. Now, those Republican-led states who left — and other states who lost access to their data — are scrambling to police so-called “double voters” ahead of the presidential election in 2024…

This is a hilariously sanitized version of what happened; it was conspiracy theorists demanding they withdraw from ERIC and republican officials pandering to them while giving the media a little post-hoc fig leaf (because that move always works) pic.twitter.com/ZNPVDQT0mr

— Hemry, Local Bartender (@BartenderHemry) July 9, 2023

… The scramble by states to fill a security gap left open by exiting ERIC comes at a critical time. Elections officials face ongoing scrutiny about the accuracy of voter rolls after extensive — and untrue — accusations of widespread fraud in the past two election cycles. The 2024 elections are getting closer.

Grandjean said 27 states have expressed interest in the effort, with varying degrees of commitment.

But actually getting it off the ground is a different matter…

Now Rs have to contort themselves into reinventing the wheel and statements like "oh it'll be totally different, see the data…it'll be shared, not centralized." Embarrassing clown party unfit to govern at every level pic.twitter.com/feI7o7jj3y

— Hemry, Local Bartender (@BartenderHemry) July 9, 2023

Monday Morning Open Thread: Moving Forward, RegardlessPost + Comments (156)

Monday Morning Open Thread: Honoring Bloody Sunday in Selma

by Anne Laurie|  March 6, 20235:49 am| 223 Comments

This post is in: Civil Rights, Open Threads, President Biden, Proud to Be A Democrat, Voting Rights

58 years ago, John Lewis and other civil rights leaders marched from Selma to Montgomery, beaten and tear-gassed but unflinching in their fight for the fundamental right to vote.

Today, we commemorate the righteous crusade they waged there years ago. pic.twitter.com/O3xexHOdFO

— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) March 5, 2023

President Biden uses the searing memories of Selma’s “Bloody Sunday” to recommit to a cornerstone of democracy. https://t.co/Fwf6tYDZzC

— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 6, 2023


No better way. Per the Associated Press:

President Joe Biden used the searing memories of Selma’s “Bloody Sunday” to recommit to a cornerstone of democracy, lionizing a seminal moment from the civil rights movement at a time when he has been unable to push enhanced voting protections through Congress and a conservative Supreme Court has undermined a landmark voting law.

“Selma is a reckoning. The right to vote … to have your vote counted is the threshold of democracy and liberty. With it anything’s possible,” Biden told a crowd of several thousand people seated on one side of the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge, named for a reputed Ku Klux Klan leader.

“This fundamental right remains under assault. The conservative Supreme Court has gutted the Voting Rights Act over the years. Since the 2020 election, a wave of states and dozens and dozens of anti-voting laws fueled by the ‘Big Lie’ and the election deniers now elected to office,” he said.

show full post on front page

As a candidate in 2020, Biden promised to pursue sweeping legislation to bolster protection of voting rights. Two years ago, his 2021 legislation, named after civil right leader John Lewis, the late Georgia congressman, included provisions to restrict partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts, strike down hurdles to voting and bring transparency to a campaign finance system that allows wealthy donors to bankroll political causes anonymously.

It passed the then-Democratic-controlled House, but it failed to draw the 60 votes needed to advance in a Senate under control by Biden’s party. With Republicans now running of the House, passage of such legislation is highly unlikely…

This year’s #BloodySunday commemoration is the third without civil rights legends and Selma foot soldiers Congressman John Lewis, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Rev. C.T. Vivian, and Bruce Boynton, who all passed away in 2020.

We remember and honor them – today and always. #Selma58 pic.twitter.com/KvlYXSV9vJ

— The Leadership Conference (@civilrightsorg) March 5, 2023

No matter how hard some people try, we can’t just choose to learn what we want to know, and not what we should know.

We should learn everything.

The good.
The bad.
The truth of who we are as a nation.

And everyone should know the truth of Selma. pic.twitter.com/9qH7ehfWmT

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 6, 2023

“Selma is a reckoning….Without the right to vote, nothing is possible….I will not let a filibuster stop us from protecting the right to vote.” ?@POTUS? speaks at #Selma58 Jubilee pic.twitter.com/mV0wtRZdPS

— Janai Nelson (@JNelsonLDF) March 5, 2023

58 years ago, John Lewis and Hosea Williams began a civil rights demonstration from Selma to Montgomery. Moments after crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, demonstrators were beaten and injured.

Today, we honor their sacrifice and continue to fight for justice. pic.twitter.com/KXQGJeelLg

— House Democrats (@HouseDemocrats) March 5, 2023

The scene in Selma pic.twitter.com/G1zIwUWNL1

— Aamer Madhani (@AamerISmad) March 5, 2023

Humbled to join @RepTerriSewell & other colleagues on this moving pilgrimage to Selma to honor the shoulders upon which we stand.

We’re forever grateful for the sacrifices those like John Lewis made in the fight for equality. Despite our progress there is much left to be done. https://t.co/eodiSlJyqU

— James E. Clyburn (@RepJamesClyburn) March 5, 2023

3/ I am grateful to all who joined us. Taking the time to lay eyes on the places and faces of the Movement, and to open your hearts and minds to the truths of our history is indeed a brave and powerful thing to do.

Looking forward to welcoming @POTUS to Selma tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/IHJeE5NRXk

— Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) March 4, 2023

Biden also connected the issue of voting rights to other issues impacting Black communities across the country, like access to affordable housing and the economy. He argued that his agenda was creating a thriving and inclusive economy prioritizing Black participation. https://t.co/NWdHabzsWB

— Erica P. Loewe (@EricaLoewe46) March 6, 2023

On the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, we honor the heroes who marched and fought to secure our right to vote. Like voting rights leaders Dessa, Imani, Andrés, and Prairie Rose, we must continue the fight today. pic.twitter.com/9PZYN2Cxsj

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) March 5, 2023

Monday Morning Open Thread: Honoring Bloody Sunday in SelmaPost + Comments (223)

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Best Housekeeping

by Anne Laurie|  September 20, 20229:27 am| 178 Comments

This post is in: Biden Administration in Action, Republican Venality, Show Us on the Doll Where the Invisible Hand Touched You, Vote Like Your Country Depends On It, Voting Rights

When Papa *becomes* transportation… pic.twitter.com/GH1MDirSYc

— Chasten Buttigieg (@Chasten) September 18, 2022

Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting two historically Black colleges in South Carolina to push for voter registration. She’s focusing on places and demographics that will be key to Democrats’ chances to hold on to Congress in midterm elections. https://t.co/ekfEbYAUK1

— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) September 20, 2022

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Borrowers who paid down their student loan debt during a pandemic freeze that started in March 2020 can in fact get a refund, and then apply for forgiveness.

If you think you’re eligible, here’s what you need to know. https://t.co/gnwijORDTy

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 19, 2022

Heads up!

@ Relevant aid and advocate groups, heads up https://t.co/LSvFFNcupZ

— zeddy (@Zeddary) September 20, 2022

*Major* housecleaning:

NEW: Cheney & Lofgren unveil their 38-page Presidential Election Reform Act to overhaul the laws on counting electoral votes and to prevent another Jan. 6.

Committee markup slated for Tuesday.

Full House vote is expected this week.

w/ @haleytalbotnbc:https://t.co/lmFuPbWosj

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) September 19, 2022

Jan. 6 attack prompts U.S. House to launch makeover of 1887 law https://t.co/gDc1GOZPnM pic.twitter.com/EQ4QAO1Dk9

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 20, 2022

The comment at the end is important: As Cheney notes, a member filing an objection knowing it's false is an unconstitutional act. https://t.co/DkhPO2Ex8x

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) September 19, 2022

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Best HousekeepingPost + Comments (178)

Saturday Morning Open Thread: When Dems Are In Charge, Good Things Happen

by Anne Laurie|  April 23, 20229:15 am| 160 Comments

This post is in: Biden Administration in Action, Dog Blogging, Open Threads, Voting Rights

Trolley problem solved:pic.twitter.com/SZKF9ngMvP

— hardmaru (@hardmaru) April 15, 2022

Blast this shit from the rooftops, a thing that Biden has done that's so good, the replies are just full of people salty about how good this is.

This is what happens when you elect Democrats. https://t.co/uPGEO3SP1a

— Michael Paulauski (@mike10010100) April 22, 2022

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NEW: Biden’s NLRB was essential to unionizing the Amazon warehouse in Staten Island https://t.co/wkcTChmTgX by

— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) April 22, 2022

I'm serious, you wanna talk about long-term implications of the Biden presidency?

Union membership is the number one fastest mechanism we have to consolidate worker power and actually force politicians to listen to us.

Unionization is a top fucking issue. Period.

— Michael Paulauski (@mike10010100) April 22, 2022

Breaking news: Prosecutors are dropping all criminal charges against Pamela Moses, the Memphis woman sentenced to six years in prison for trying to register to vote. She was granted a new trial in February, but prosecutors said today they won't pursue it. https://t.co/zG6nvuzC7K

— Sam Levine (@srl) April 22, 2022

And some people say there’s no such thing as the perfect tweet…

If only @AVindman had taken his concerns about the perfect phone call to a trusted journalist. Think of the book deal they could have gotten!

CC: @alexburnsNYT @jmartNYT

— Rachel Vindman ?? (@natsechobbyist) April 22, 2022

Saturday Morning Open Thread: When Dems Are In Charge, Good Things HappenPost + Comments (160)

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