From February 2, 2021 post.
Congressman Brad Wenstrup (OH-02), a member of the Republican Study Committee’s Steering Committee, has cosponsored the Save Democracy Act.
“As we complete our after-action reviews of the 2020 election, we will need to address the issues that arose and restore confidence in our voting process. This legislation accomplishes those goals by working with existing law to include measured, commonsense guardrails that defend a fair and legal election process, which I believe fit with what our Founders envisioned,” said Congressman Wenstrup.
Background on the Save Democracy Act (courtesy of the Republican Study Committee):
The Save Democracy Act addresses three key areas that were of concern during the 2020 election: voter registration, casting of ballots, and tabulation of ballots.
Voter Registration:
- Prohibits automatic voter registration for federal elections.
- Requires voter citizenship verification to register to vote in federal elections.
- Requires full Social Security Numbers (SSN) to register to vote in federal elections.
- Requires federal courts to notify state election officials when an individual is excused from jury duty because they are not a citizen.
- Prohibit states from sending out unrequested absentee ballots for federal elections.
- Bars anyone other than the voter, an election official, or the post office from submitting a ballot to a polling location during federal elections.
- Prohibits use of public ballot collection boxes in federal elections.
- Requires that absentee ballots be received by the close of election day for federal elections.
- Requires a voter to provide proof of I.D. for absentee voting and in-person voting in federal elections, creating equal treatment for all ballots.
- Requires voters to produce a matching SSN printed on their ballot in federal elections. Additionally, requires election officials to cross-check the SSN on a ballot with the voter’s registration and submit such data to Congress.
- Maintains current protections for military and overseas voters.
- Requires that at least two representatives of each Presidential campaign in a general election be permitted to observe polls and vote counting operations.
- Requires that ballot counting, once begun, continue until completed—no delays or pauses.
- Requires the audit of ballot tabulation systems within the 30-day period following a federal election.
- Requires the audit of ballot tabulation systems within the 30-day period following a federal election.
