Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined 11 other attorneys general in calling on the U.S. Senate to reject the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act. The group argues that the proposed legislation would unlawfully centralize election administration at the federal level, create new obstacles for voter registration, and risk disenfranchising millions of eligible voters.
If passed, the SAVE America Act would require Americans to provide documentary proof of citizenship in person when registering or updating their voter information. This requirement would effectively end online, mail-in, and automatic voter registration across the country.
In a letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the coalition stated that this move would remove states’ established authority over elections and dismantle modern systems relied upon by both voters and officials.
“The SAVE America Act is clearly an attempt to disenfranchise voters, based on false claims of ‘stolen’ or ‘rigged’ elections,” said Attorney General Nessel. “This legislation is not designed to protect democracy but to make it harder for people to participate in it, and I urge the Senate to reject the SAVE America Act and uphold the fundamental right to vote.”
The attorneys general warn that eliminating online voter registration—which most states use—and mail-in registration—relied upon by service members and overseas voters—would harm many groups. They say automatic voter registration systems help keep rolls accurate and secure, but these too would be affected by the bill. According to their statement, working-class Americans, rural residents, young people, and those whose legal names differ from their birth certificates could face significant barriers if the law passes. An estimated 21 million voting-age citizens do not have easy access to documents like passports or birth certificates; nearly 80 percent of married women may lack documentation reflecting their current legal name.
The coalition points out that noncitizen voting is extremely rare and has never been shown to affect federal election results. In contrast, requirements for documentary proof of citizenship have repeatedly led to tens of thousands of eligible voters being removed from rolls.
Attorney General Nessel and her colleagues urge lawmakers not only to reject this bill but also any efforts toward federalizing election administration. They call for respect for state sovereignty as well as protection of Americans’ right to vote.
Other attorneys general signing onto this letter include those from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington.
Dana Nessel serves as Michigan’s 54th attorney general according to the official website. The Michigan Department of Attorney General operates statewide with a focus on public service initiatives such as supporting vulnerable populations and advancing social causes including human trafficking prevention (source). The department has influenced policy through measures like drafting expungement opportunities under Michigan’s Clean Slate law in 2019 (source).
