Lisa Murkowski Opposes the SAVE Act
“We cannot create a system that doesn’t work for Alaska, where eligible voters who have been voting legally for years suddenly can’t do so,” Senator Lisa Murkowski tells Sol de Medianoche.The Trump Administration wants to implement the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act) to “save American elections, protect citizens’ votes,” and prevent non-citizens from participating in elections.
If what the federal government says about the SAVE Act were true, why doesn’t Alaska’s longtime Republican Senator, Lisa Murkowski, see it that way? Why is she publicly standing up to President Trump, a member of her own party? Sol de Medianoche asked Murkowski for her reasons, and she replied: “I support voter identification measures and the right to vote as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. However, I have serious concerns about how the SAVE America Act would be implemented in Alaska, as it requires documentation to be submitted in person at an official election office.” “Alaska has only six official election offices statewide, which leaves many residents in a situation where they would have to travel hundreds of miles just to submit their documentation and register to vote. This would be a costly and time-consuming process. Is it impossible? No. Will it be a challenge? Of course.” Lisa Murkowski adds: “The way legislation achieves its goals is important. Implementation is important. We cannot create a system that doesn’t work for Alaska, where eligible voters who have been voting legally for years suddenly cannot do so. States must remain in charge of their own elections and set requirements based on what works for them.” “We cannot switch to a system that works for many voters but not for all, especially so close to an election and without funding for states to implement these new requirements. That is why I oppose the SAVE America Act,” Murkowski concludes. We also asked Murkowski what Trump’s intentions are in implementing the SAVE Act; whether it would harm Latinos; the Alaska Beacon reported that 25,000 of Alaska’s 29,000 registered voters in 2024 would be unable to vote if the law were in effect, while only 4,000 could, what is her opinion; whether she has discussed her disagreements with Trump; whether it could lead to Latino abstention; and whether the SAVE Act threatens democracy. But Lisa Murkowski has not commented. Many political analysts assert that voting by unauthorized individuals is very rare, so it has not been able to influence elections. Furthermore, the requirement to present identification in person hinders participation for 21.3 million Americans, according to ‘Factcheckado’; for 69 million married women who have taken their spouse’s surname; and for 51% of citizens without a passport. Voting by non-U.S. citizens has been illegal since 1924, and criminal penalties for violators were established in 1996. |