Elise Roberts: The SAVE Act Isn’t About Election Security—It’s About Silencing Women Like Me

By Elise Roberts

I got married last year. It was all of the things: beautiful, chaotic, and filled with joy. The kind of love-soaked day you dream about. Not long after, I started the process of changing my last name to that of my husband’s. A choice that was mine and mine alone. I changed my name on most of my documents, from my driver’s license to my bank accounts. But there’s one thing still on my to-do list: updating my passport.

Now, because of the SAVE Act, that one small, unchecked box on my post-wedding list has become a looming threat to my fundamental rights.

The SAVE Act, short for “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility,” just passed the House, and it’s being sold as a way to make our elections more “secure.” But as a Black woman, and as someone who works every day to expand access to voting, I can tell you this isn’t about security. It’s about control. It’s about shutting people like me out of the political process: people who are young, who are women, who are changing their names, who don’t have the time, money, or support to jump through these new, unnecessary hoops.

Let me break it down: The SAVE Act would require documentary proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. A driver’s license won’t cut it. A birth certificate? Not good enough. The most widely accepted form of ID under this bill is a U.S. passport—a document an estimated half of Americans don’t even have.

This isn’t a small technicality. It’s a massive roadblock, and one that will disproportionately harm married women, especially women who, like me, have recently changed their names. And let me tell you, the process of updating a passport isn’t quick or cheap. That’s why I’ve put it off for the past several months. It requires original documents, time away from work, and in some cases, legal help to track down name-change paperwork. And let’s be honest: most of us aren’t thinking about the intersection of marriage licenses and voter ID laws when we’re planning a wedding or adjusting to newlywed life.

But we have to think about it now.

Because this bill isn’t about solving a real problem. The myth of non-citizens voting in federal elections is just that: a myth. Study after study, even investigations launched by conservative-led states, have found that voter fraud is basically nonexistent. The real problem? Too many people in power are afraid of a fully engaged, fully empowered electorate. They don’t want us at the polls.

And so, instead of earning votes through policies that help people, they’re trying to suppress the vote through red tape.

This bill is the latest in a long line of coordinated attacks on our freedom to vote. From shuttering polling places in Black and brown communities, to gutting the Voting Rights Act, to restricting vote-by-mail access, this is a pattern. And the SAVE Act fits neatly into it. It targets the voters least likely to have the exact documents required, and most likely to be left behind: women, low-income people, young folks, immigrants, and communities of color.

This isn’t abstract. This is about me. And probably about you, or someone you love.

As a Black woman, I’ve seen time and time again how quickly a “common sense” policy can morph into a weapon against people who look like me. I’ve seen how the systems that claim to protect us often don’t, and how those in power love to pretend voter suppression is some relic of the past. Newsflash: It’s not. It’s happening right now. And it’s coming for the most ordinary people doing the most ordinary things—like getting married, changing your name, or waiting until your passport renewal moves to the top of your to-do list.

So what can we do?

First, we fight back. This bill still has to go through the Senate, so in the meantime, we need to make noise. Call your senators. Write op-eds. Post on your social media. Tell your friends and family what’s happening, especially the ones who might be directly impacted and not even know it.

Second, we double down on preparedness. If you’ve changed your name or haven’t gotten a passport yet, start that process now if you can. I know it’s annoying. I know it’s expensive. But unfortunately, with bills like this one gaining traction, we don’t have the luxury of waiting.

Finally, we remember they are doing this because they are afraid of us. They’re afraid of women who vote. They’re afraid of Black and brown voters. They’re afraid of a multiracial democracy where everyone gets a voice. That fear is their weakness. However, our power comes from our voices and our refusal to back down. In voting in every single election we’re allowed to: local, state, and federal. And in fighting like hell to make sure that right stays ours.

Elise Roberts is a media strategist working with Supermajority and other businesses, non-profits, and cultural thought-leaders to provide strategic communications. She has also worked as a journalist for more than 20 years.