SAFEGUARDING MINNESOTANS’ VOTING RIGHTS: CMAH’S ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS APRIL 16, 2026 he Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage (CMAH) advises government on the needs of our T constituents and supports their participation in the resources of the state and economy. Our constituency comprises Minnesotans who self-identify as African American or African Immigrant, Black American or Black Immigrant. MAH and constituents are deeply concerned about the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility C (SAVE) Act. The legislation targets a virtually nonexistent problem while creating new barriers that would disenfranchise millions of eligible U.S. citizens—especially African Heritage voters and other historically marginalized communities. oncitizen voting in federal elections is already illegal under the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform N and Immigrant Responsibility Act, and documented cases are exceedingly rare. Existing systems—including HAVA identity verification, federal database checks, and felony penalties—already safeguard election integrity. he SAVE Act would require voters to present documented proof of citizenship, such as a T passport or certified birth certificate, in person. Research shows that over 21 million voting-age citizens lack such documents, including many African Heritage elders born during Jim Crow who face well-documented barriers to obtaining birth records. More than 140 million Americans lack passports, and 69 million women have names that do not match their birth certificates, creating additional hurdles. When similar laws were tried in Kansas and Arizona, tens of thousands of eligible voters were blocked from registering. he Act would also undermine mail-in and online voter registration, effectively ending T community-based registration drives—especially those led by Black churches, civic groups, and grassroots organizations— and harming voters with disabilities, rural voters, and U.S. citizens living overseas, including military personnel. or African Heritage communities, the SAVE Act echoes the logic and impact of poll taxes and F other Jim Crow–era barriers: it imposes costs, paperwork, travel, and bureaucratic obstacles that fall hardest on those historically excluded from political power. Civil rights and human rights organizations warn that the Act would suppress turnout, erode civic participation, and weaken the democratic infrastructure that Black communities have built over generations. he SAVE Act does not strengthen democracy—it restricts it. Protecting the freedom to vote T requires strengthening, not dismantling, the civil rights safeguards that ensure every eligible citizen can participate fully and equally in our democracy.
Issuu converts static files into: and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.