Ocean State Today

The Rhode Island Voting Access Coalition (RIVAC) has urged Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, both Democrats from Rhode Island, to vote against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The bill is expected to come before the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

According to John Marion, Executive Director of Common Cause Rhode Island, "The SAVE Act would disenfranchise thousands of Rhode Island citizens by creating unnecessary obstacles to register and vote." Marion praised Magaziner and Amo for opposing the bill in 2024 and encouraged them to maintain their opposition.

RIVAC has led efforts over the past decade to modernize elections in Rhode Island, achieving milestones such as online voter registration in 2016 and automatic registration in 2017. The coalition argues that the SAVE Act will eliminate the ability for Rhode Islanders to register with a regular driver's license and impose new challenges, particularly on married women who have changed their names.

Critics argue that the act would suppress the voting rights of marginalized groups. Angela Lima, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator of Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, stated, "The SAVE Act suppresses the rights of women, black people, and our LGBTQ+ community to vote. Requiring voters to appear in person with proof of identity and citizenship puts an undue burden on the same people who fought hard for this fundamental right."

The letter to the representatives has been signed by several organizations, including the ACLU of Rhode Island, Common Cause Rhode Island, the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island, and others advocating for voting rights and civic engagement.