On Monday, the Senate Committee on Elections will hear Senate Bill 353, a bill which would require an individual to show proof of citizenship documentation, including a passport or birth certificate, in order to register to vote.
Katie Blair, public policy and advocacy director with the ACLU of Indiana issued this statement:
“SB 353 would disenfranchise tens of thousands of Hoosier voters by requiring additional, costly, and unnecessary documentation. The additional documentation requirements would disproportionately and unfairly impact low-income voters, senior citizens, voters with disabilities, racial and ethnic minority voters, and others who do not have the money or ability to acquire the documentation outlined in this legislation.
“Across the country, the ACLU has been involved in litigation against states, including Arizona and Kansas, regarding voter registration proof of citizenship laws. These laws have been found to undermine the fundamental right to vote in violation of the National Voter Registration Act.
“It is especially appalling that following a general election fraught with voter hurdles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some Indiana legislators are focused on making it even more difficult for Hoosiers to cast a ballot. Studies of electoral fraud by non-citizens found that ‘the rate of non-citizen voting in the United States is likely 0,’ yet legislators are willing to disenfranchise tens of thousands of voters to address an issue that is virtually nonexistent. The process to register to vote is the gateway to our democracy and our laws should ensure that the voter registration process allows all eligible voters to participate.”
