The integrity of American elections has been an ongoing debate since, well, the electoral process existed.

It’s even been theorized that poet Edgar Allan Poe’s death was a result of cooping — a form of election fraud in 19th century Baltimore that forced victims to vote for one candidate multiple times while dressed in various disguises.

However, the conversation on voter fraud has ramped up in recent memory following the 2020 election when President Donald Trump cited, unfounded, that millions of undocumented immigrants cast a ballot or dead people signed up to vote, resulting in a stolen election and his loss to former President Joe Biden.

There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

As a way to combat the issue of noncitizen voting, Republican lawmakers are championing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, Act that would require voters to show proof of citizenship like a REAL ID, a passport, a birth certificate or other eligible documentation.

Kansas and Arizona previously passed statewide proof-of-citizenship legislation that was later killed in federal court.

Supporters say the measure is a no-brainer that will keep noncitizens out of American elections and strengthen public trust. One such advocate, Carol Davis, considers citizenship a privilege that should be safeguarded.

“There needs to be some consequence when we break the law, and we know that people have broken the law by registering to vote and being noncitizens,” said Davis, chairman of the Illinois Conservative Union. “The taxpayers, the citizens should not have their vote canceled by someone who has not been invested in America.”

Davis has served as poll watcher, worker and election judge in DuPage County, and believes the path to voting should be stricter in order to ensure a fair election.

Those opposed to the bill argue it’s another barrier to exercising a fundamental right that will disproportionately affect individuals with marginalized identities.

“I think there are politicians who don’t like when people vote, and I think these measures are a way in which to limit the pool of people who are eligible to vote,” said Ed Yohnka, the communications director for the ACLU of Illinois.

Married women who change their surname or transgender people who leave their dead name behind could have their voting process complicated, said Yohnka, as not all states allow residents to update their birth certificates with their new names as Illinois does.

In recent years, Illinois has expanded voter access through early voting initiatives, online registration and automatic registration. The SAVE Act would eliminate the possibility to register online.

“It’s estimated that up to 20 million people across America are not as fortunate as some of us who have access to both our original birth certificate and a passport,” Yohnka said.

---