By Congresswoman Stephanie Bice
Since the founding of our country, the democratic process to elect our governing body has defined our nation. The right to vote is a privilege of citizenship, and it is our duty to ensure that every election is conducted with integrity. Oklahoma has set a gold standard for how we conduct and safeguard our voting and registration system. It is time for other states to follow our lead to prevent any interference from foreign entities and non-citizens.
In the last Administration, at least 4.6 million illegal immigrants were released into the country, with an additional 1.8 million known “gotaways.” In many states, illegal aliens are eligible for driver’s licenses and other benefits, providing ample opportunities to illegally register to vote in federal elections. Some jurisdictions even allow non-citizens to vote in their local elections. While federal law states that only U.S. citizens can legally vote in federal elections, the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) preempts states from enforcing citizenship verification requirements for voter registration. This is a critical loophole in our election laws.
There is ample evidence of non-citizens registering to vote. A 2014 study of the 2008 and 2010 elections found that non-citizens voted and likely influenced the outcome of several races. This past year in Virginia, 1,481 non-citizens were found on the state’s voter rolls, and in Alabama, they identified 3,251 non-citizens registered to vote. Just this past month, Michigan found 15 individuals who voted in the 2024 election that are not American citizens. One vote, especially on the local level, can determine the outcome of a race and is unacceptable to the standard that we hold ourselves to as a nation.
Recently, my fellow House Republicans and I voted to fix our election system and ensure that only American citizens can vote. I was proud to co-sponsor and vote for the passage of the SAVE Act, HR. 22, to further safeguard our elections and restore confidence in our systems. This legislation ensures that states verify U.S. citizenship when registering individuals to vote in federal elections, provides states with the tools to remove non-citizens from voter rolls, and penalizes officials who register non-citizens. Despite misleading claims by the media, this legislation does not make it harder for U.S. citizens, including married women, to vote. It simply requires a REAL ID, passport, or other government-issued identification that includes proof of birthplace. These are rules that Oklahoma already follows and the bill does not change any of Oklahoma’s election procedures.
The biggest misconception is that this bill will prevent married women from voting. If a woman changes her surname after marriage, she already has to update her Social Security card, driver’s license, and passport. As a result, her identification will be up to date when registering to vote. The argument against this bill is nothing more than a desperate attempt to mislead the public.
This legislation is a vital step toward restoring trust in our electoral system and ensuring that only eligible American citizens determine the outcome of our elections. Our election system is the foundation of our democracy, and we must do everything in our power to uphold its integrity. I will continue to fight alongside my colleagues to ensure that our elections remain fair and secure. It must be easy to vote and hard to cheat.
