by Brianna Lyman at the Federalist
In a hit piece skeptical of the Republican-led Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote, the Associated Press (AP) acknowledged that foreign nationals have been caught “illegally registering and even casting ballots.” But that fact doesn’t stop Democrats and their media allies from opposing safeguards like the SAVE Act that threaten the advantages Democrats gain from loose election laws.
“The specter of immigrants voting illegally in the U.S. has erupted into a leading election-year talking point for Republicans. They argue that legislation is necessary to protect the sanctity of the vote as the country faces unprecedented levels of illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border,” the AP’s Ali Swenson wrote.
“Voting by people who are not U.S. citizens already is illegal in federal elections and there is no indication it’s happening anywhere in significant numbers,” Swenson insisted. But nine paragraphs later, she conceded that “there have been cases over the years of noncitizens illegally registering and even casting ballots.”
Swenson suggested these instances aren’t a big deal because “states have mechanisms to catch” such illegal voting. But in fact, the federal government has prevented states from requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
Federal voter registration forms do not require documentary proof of citizenship. Instead, each individual who registers to vote must simply check a box affirming he is a U.S. citizen. In other words, our elections hinge on the honor system.
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