Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th District | Twitter Website
Rep. Mike Kelly, U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th District | Twitter Website
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) voted in favor of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) that would uphold and strengthen current law by permitting only U.S. citizens to vote in federal elections. The bill passed the U.S. House on Wednesday and now advances to the U.S. Senate.
"Democrat-led cities nationwide are already allowing non-citizens to vote in municipal elections," Rep. Kelly stated. "This legislation makes it clear: only American citizens are allowed to vote in American elections, plain and simple. This is a cornerstone of our democracy."
According to a March 2024 report by the Bipartisan Policy Center, at least three states and Washington, D.C., have municipalities that allow noncitizens to vote in certain local elections. Oakland, Calif., is currently attempting to enact a similar law, according to the report. Previously, New York City enacted a law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections in 2021, but it was ruled unconstitutional by a state judge in 2022.
The SAVE Act aims to protect and preserve the right of American citizens to vote by:
- Requiring states to obtain proof of citizenship – in person – when registering an individual to vote.
- Requiring states to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls.
Read the full text of the bill here.
Read the one-pager for the bill here.
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