Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (D-OR) forced a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to address concerns over the Republican-backed SAVE Act, which she criticized as a thinly veiled attempt at voter suppression targeting women. The bill, introduced under the pretense of enhancing election integrity, would impose additional documentation requirements for married women who have changed their last names, potentially obstructing their ability to vote.
Dexter leveraged a procedural tool known as the “Previous Question” to propose an amendment that would require state-level certifications, ensuring the law would not disenfranchise married women. The amendment sought to protect women whose documents may not match after changing their last names, a common occurrence that could result in barriers to voting.
“The SAVE Act isn’t about preventing fraud, it’s about preventing participation in our elections,” Dexter said. “That’s why I demanded that House Republicans adopt my amendment to give assurances that married women who change their last name will not be shut out of the ballot box. This amendment isn’t a theoretical, it’s about the married woman in Hood River whose documents don’t match after changing her name. It’s about making sure our democracy includes all of us. And House Republicans voted it down.”
Despite Dexter’s efforts, House Republicans voted down her amendment, declining to provide assurances that married women would not be excluded from the ballot box.
Broader Efforts to Protect Vulnerable Voters
In addition to her primary amendment, Dexter introduced seven others aimed at safeguarding voting rights for various vulnerable groups. These amendments would have required states to certify that the SAVE Act’s provisions would not disenfranchise:
- Military service members
- People of color
- Native communities
- Survivors of domestic violence
- Seniors
- People with disabilities
- Rural residents
Each of these amendments was blocked by Republican lawmakers. Dexter was joined in her efforts by several co-sponsors, including Representatives Hank Johnson (D-GA), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD), Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), Vincente Gonzalez (D-TX), Bobby Scott (D-VA), and Shri Thanedar (D-MI).
By forcing Republicans to take a public stance on these issues, she aimed to draw attention to what she described as deliberate attempts to restrict access to the ballot box under the guise of election reform.
THANK YOU, Congresswoman Dexter and colleagues for fighting the SAVE Act. Please continue in your vigilance for the sake of all U.S. citizens. Women have worked too hard to lose this right. I will continue to encourage citizens to register, be educated and vote locally/nationally.
So in other words, she doesn’t believe that the people in these groups are smart enough to bring a marriage license or other court document showing name change. And what about gay men who change their name? Shouldn’t they be included or are they smart enough to know they need to bring additional documents and therefore dont need an amendment for them.
I had no idea married gay men and women changed their last names… just not in my ken. That said, I agree with you that the LGBTQ community is vulnerable as described, and ought to be included. I do Not agree with your sweeping, unnecessary, and counterproductive statement “being too dumb”.
If the legislation allowed using a marriage certificate to show change of name that might work. I’m sorry you aren’t smart enough to know that what you think should be common sense may not be what is in the legislation.
Please read the bill before commenting. Many pieces of documentation required DO NOT COUNT and for women who have changed their name, they need 2 forms of ID with matching names. THAT is the problem. They can easily re-word it to make sure this does not keep people from being eligible to vote. I was adopted and then changed my name again when I was married. I have EVERYTHING. But marriage licenses and adoption papers can’t be used. Yes, I have a passport – but not everyone does and it takes weeks, sometimes months to get. They are hoping people forget to take care of all of that in time to register. It is nothing more than a road block and voter suppression. Non citizens already cannot vote – and they don’t! From Newsweek yesterday: Although supporters say the bill protects elections from illegal voting, opponents note that noncitizen voting is already illegal under federal law, and instances of it are extremely rare. An audit in Georgia found only 20 noncitizens attempted to register among 8.4 million voters, all of whom were flagged and referred to law enforcement.
‘she doesn’t believe that the people in these groups are smart enough to bring a marriage license or other court document showing name change.”
Why would a driver’s license not enough? It’s good enough every where else I go. Why would changing my name legally and having a Real ID not be good enough?
Why would Republicans opposed it, unless they were purposefully trying to stop ‘some” people from voting?
We need to step up the campaign. Join a group near you. Write letters, go door to door. Let the voters know what is happening.
If you move or change name you have to get a new driver’s license and register with SS office and other institutions. Most people have cell phones so they can afford to register to vote the legal way. Typical Democrats trying to divide.
That’s a pretty sweeping statement ‘most have cellphones’. Your privilege is showing.
Where can I find the proposed amendments? I’m trying to read the direct text as it was voted down.
Were you able to find anything? I couldn’t find it either.
Having this exact issue. I do not trust any member of government when they say the words “all my bill/amendment would have done is one thing”.
That’s a load of bs and it always has been.
Guess Ill have to listen through the entire meeting instead since News sources these days seem to love to not do their job of informing the public properly.
Can u post the names of republicans who voted against this?