Women in this country did not get the right to vote until 1920, some 131 years after landed white men. The tug and pull on the right to vote has been ongoing. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed to curtail disenfranchisement by states that attempted to restrict the widespread exercise of the right to vote.

Since 1965, new movements have been subtly chipping away at broad voter enfranchisement. Proof of citizenship is the newest attack method. Currently pending Federal legislation referred to as the SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act) has passed the House and been forwarded to the Senate.

This legislation will have adverse effects, but will particularly disenfranchise women. I ran into this trying to get my Real ID. Being previously married and divorced without retaking my birth name, my birth certificate did not match my current identification. It took me several tries. I had to scrounge up marriage certificates, divorce decrees and other proofs. The harder you make something, the less people will pursue it. The paperwork requirements proposed by SAVE are burdensome. Photo identification proving citizenship must be produced each time one goes to vote and photo­copies included with mail in voting applications and ballots.

The proposed legislation requires turning over state Voter Registration records to the Department of Homeland Security, which hasn’t demonstrated responsible handling of private information.

I encourage you to contact your senators to urge them to vote against the passage of this bill. Sen. McCormick 1-202-224-6324 and Sen. Fetterman 1-202-224-4254.

Linda Gunn

Hopewell