With the strong support and vote of Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester), the House of Representatives today passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act ­(HR 8281)—commonly referred to as the SAVE Act—to require individuals to present proof of their United States citizenship before they can register to vote in federal elections.

            “Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy—and strengthening the security and integrity of our elections is absolutely critical to ensuring the vitality of our democratic system of government,” said Smith, a cosponsor of the legislation.

            “As a member of the House Election Integrity Caucus, I am committed to protecting voter identification laws across the country and safeguarding the right to vote that so many brave men and women in uniform have courageously fought—and died—to defend,” Smith said.

            The SAVE Act in part seeks to address alarming reports that multiple states have found thousands of noncitizens on their voter rolls, even though it is illegal for foreign nationals and noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections.

            “Noncitizen voting makes our elections vulnerable to foreign interference and violates the constitutional principle that voting is a right reserved for American citizens,” said Smith. “To ensure that Americans can have confidence in our election process and results, we must take additional steps to protect this sacred right and ensure that only United States citizens are able to vote in our elections.”

            Earlier this year, Smith also strongly supported and voted for similar legislation (HJ Res 24) that would block the District of Columbia from allowing noncitizen residents—including illegal immigrants and foreign agents—to vote in local elections. HJ Res 24 passed the House by a vote of 260-162 but currently remains blocked in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

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