The SAVE Act is about citizenship not suppression

By Russ Minary | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” – Mark Twain

Today, many Americans across the political spectrum are uninformed and/or unfamiliar with the US Constitution and US legal code. Yet they want elections and election results to be fair and accurate. Confusion, division and conflict are common, often guided more by opinion or emotions, but not the truth or facts. Social or mainstream media will never be a substitute for primary research from reliable sources.

In this article, you’ll get some facts and reliable info on WHY the SAVE Act, free and fair elections, and the Electoral College are absolutely necessary to protect our most basic freedoms as Americans.

FIRST, the “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act” or SAVE Act. If passed, this bill would ensure that only legal citizens can be registered to vote in elections for Federal office. This link provides the actual text of the SAVE ACT: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr22/text. Read it for yourself, rather than believing what any pundit, person or media source tells you. Facts matter. 

The main point of the SAVE Act is stated as follows: “Requiring applicants to present documentary proof of United States citizenship. Under any method of voter registration in a State, the State shall not accept and process an application to register to vote in an election for Federal office unless the applicant presents documentary proof of United States citizenship with the application.” 

The bill lists various forms of acceptable state-issued documents (driver’s license, social security card, military ID, etc.) that would meet the standards. None of them would be difficult or expensive for any legal, native born or naturalized US citizen to acquire. It has been wrongly suggested that the SAVE Act is racist and would disenfranchise certain persons or groups of persons from voting. Any person regardless of race, culture, national origin, gender or political persuasion who is a legal US citizen would be eligible to vote – with a valid form of identification. You must show ID every day.

IF you read the text of the SAVE Act, please tell me why it is unfair or should not be passed immediately. 

On the other hand, ‘undocumented’ immigrants (those who have entered the US illegally) would not be eligible to vote in any Federal elections. This seems entirely reasonable to me. Why should a person who is not a citizen be able to vote on any matter that impacts a legal citizen?

In a note of irony, Mr. Obama opposed the SAVE ACT but the Obama Presidential Library in Chicago requires a form of ID in some cases. His library not only charges $30 for adult tickets ($23 for children ages 3-11) but will offer select days where Illinois residents can get in free, provided they show valid identification. They’re also allowed only legal citizens or lawful residents to enter its grand opening ticket giveaway. Double standard? You decide.

SECOND, the Electoral College. Since the Electoral College process is part of the original design of the U.S. Constitution it would be necessary to pass a Constitutional amendment to change this system. And that requires a Constitutional Convention which is described in Article V of the US Constitution. It is an intentionally lengthy and complicated process for one good reason: it should be difficult to change the Constitution, which is the highest authority governing our nation. The Constitution defines and limits our government, which ensures the rights of the people. 

It is important to understand that the United States is a Constitutional Republic – NOT a democracy. The people elect their representatives and those representatives are responsible for oversight and governance under the authority of the Constitution. 

Here is a little known but important fact about the Electoral College: it prevents the majority from total domination of the minority. It ensures that voters in smaller States have the same rights and power as voters in much larger States. 

Without the Electoral College, our nation would be governed by a handful of ‘city-states’ like New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. The combined population of just 3 US cities (every one of which is a Democrat stronghold) is 15.136 MILLION. That number is greater than the population of 46 of the 50 US States. 

Without the Electoral College, less populous states like Wyoming, Alaska, Vermont, South and North Dakota would be dominated by massive voter blocs in just 3 US cities. The entire combined population of those 5 little states is 3.7 Million. California alone has a population of 39 Million. That is the very definition of disenfranchisement.

THIRD and most important is Election Integrity. Without election integrity, neither the SAVE Act nor the Electoral College matter. The American people have the right to know that every election is free, fair and safe. They deserve to know that only legal American citizens voted, and that election results are promptly verified and accurate beyond a shadow of doubt. They are entitled to total transparency in both the process and the outcomes. 

Without election integrity, Americans will lose confidence in the process of elections. They will lose the will to participate in elections because they feel that their votes won’t matter or be counted. Good people will stop running for or serving in government or elected offices. They will become suspicious of their own government and of those in positions of responsibility and authority. They will become apathetic or frustrated with the very processes that ensure their freedoms.

Here’s why that would be very bad indeed.

If election outcomes cannot be verified and trusted, much mischief can occur. For example, in that type of environment, tyrants and scoundrels can rise to power. The Constitution, which ensures and protects the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans – regardless of their political perspectives or lack thereof – can be altered, twisted or ignored. 

That has been happening a lot lately and both parties bear some responsibility. And I’ve had about enough.

So, here are a few thoughts for every voter in every State and community to consider. By immediately passing and implementing the SAVE Act, protecting the Electoral College and taking all steps necessary to ensure election integrity, ever American will be able to once again trust our government. Who doesn’t want that? Who wouldn’t benefit from that?

The United States of America is still the best, safest, most prosperous and free nation on Earth. That’s why so many people want to come here, at great risk and expense, whether legally or illegally. Countless people, men and women, citizens of every race, creed, religion, national origin and culture have fought for the freedoms we all enjoy. 

I hope you’ll remember that America is still worth fighting for as our nation celebrates the 250^th Independence Day on July 4, 2026. Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”  Our system still works when we remember and use it properly.

 Russ Minary is a retired sales executive, marketing consultant, small business owner and veteran. He has lived in CO for 50 years and resides in Douglas County.  

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.