The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is considering a petition that would add documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) to the federal voter registration form.
This would make it much harder—if not impossible— for millions of Americans to register to vote.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD BY OCTOBER 20!
Proof of citizenship is unnecessary: It’s already a felony under federal and state law for non-citizens to vote.
DPOC is NOT the same as voter ID for voting: DPOC requirements are stricter, and the documents are harder to get. Real IDs would not count, except in Washington, Vermont, Minnesota, Michigan, and New York.
DPOC costs money and time to get and millions don’t have the resources to get them: For example, fewer than half of all Americans hold a passport, and they cost $165. Birth certificates can be challenging to replace, especially if you were born out of state and have had a name change, like if you got married.
These laws would likely require in-person registration, disenfranchising millions: In Ohio, registration would likely have to happen at the county Board of Elections, and there is only one per county. Americans in the military and their families, Americans with disabilities, and Americans living in rural communities would have a very difficult, if not impossible, time registering to vote.
These laws especially hurt women: Women who have changed their name after marriage and don’t have a passport would have a very difficult, if not impossible, time registering to vote.
Right now, comments in favor far outweigh those against so we must speak up. Here are some content ideas:
I’m against requiring citizens to submit a passport, birth certificate, or other citizenship documents to register to vote! Only half of American citizens have a passport, and 69 million American citizens don’t have a birth certificate with their current legal name on it.
It is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. Requiring a document to prove American citizenship to register to vote in federal elections is unnecessary. State election officials have systems to verify an individual voter’s eligibility and ensure voter rolls are accurate.
There are many communities of eligible voters who would be unnecessarily burdened by the requirement of documentary proof of citizenship. Among them are military voters, families who have been impacted by natural disasters who may have lost necessary documentation, and Americans who have changed their name, like married women.
Please go to lwv.org/take-action/urge-eac-not-require-documentary-proof-citizenship to tell your elected officials this is UNNECESSARY.
