Yavapai News

U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) said the votes from Democrats against a bill barring illegal aliens from voting in U.S. elections is proof that they want "a wide open southern border" for their own gain.  

I’m not surprised to report to you that 198 Democrats just voted against the SAVE Act which would prevent illegal aliens from voting in our elections," Crane said in a video statement posted to X. "Many of us have been saying it for years, this is exactly why they wanted a wide open southern border, it’s one of the many reasons. And they’ve been denying it, and now you see it right on the House floor as plain as day: 198 Democrats voted to allow illegal aliens to vote in our elections. You just can’t make this stuff up. 

The SAVE Act, House Bill 8281, would “require proof of United States citizenship to register an individual to vote in elections for Federal office” using accepted documentation including real ID, a government issued photo ID with certain restrictions, a certified birth certificate, or a valid U.S. passport. 

The SAVE Act also prevents states from registering an individual to vote without this proof of citizenship and requires states to remove anyone without proof of citizenship from their voter registration rolls. The U.S. House passed the SAVE Act with a vote of 221-198. 

President Joe Biden has promised to veto this bill, according to an article from the Hill, with the opposition claiming it is redundant to pass a measure prohibiting noncitizens from voting. 

Currently, voters are only required to certify their citizenship by signing a federal voter registration form created by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which has registrants affirm they are a U.S. citizen and are eligible to vote “under penalty of perjury.” Individuals do not have to provide documentation of their citizenship to register. 

States are required to use this form for registration under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), and are not allowed to require additional information in order to register voters.

Rep. Crane voted in favor of the SAVE Act, along with the six other Republican U.S. Reps. from Arizona. The state's two Democrat members, Reps. Greg Stanton and Ruben Gallego, voted against the legislation.