At the Illinois House Ethics and Elections Committee hearing on April 22, the League of Women Voters of Illinois voiced strong opposition to the federal SAVE Act. LWVIL Vice President Kathy Cortez argued that the proposed legislation creates unnecessary barriers to voting, disproportionately impacting women, especially those who have changed their names after marriage or divorce. Cortez warned that lower-income citizens could be especially disadvantaged by administrative and economic hurdles imposed by the law. The League emphasized its commitment to safeguarding voter access and stands ready to help residents meet any new requirements, underscoring a central belief: every vote counts in a democracy.
LWVIL Vice President for Issues and Advocacy Kathy Cortez testified that, “We believe every citizen should be protected in the right to vote, and that electoral systems should encourage participation and enhance representation for all voters. The League of Women Voters opposes the SAVE Act because, by imposing inequitable economic and administrative requirements, the bill would create unnecessary barriers to voting participation and disenfranchise large numbers of eligible voters.”
“We have a serious concern for the negative impact the SAVE Act will have for low- and modest-income citizens,” explained Cortez. “No citizen should have to make the choice between meeting their basic needs and exercising the right to vote. We believe that even one individual losing their ability to vote because they could not afford to comply with the requirements of the SAVE Act is one voter too many.”
