Last week, House Democrats pushed through H.R. 1 – For the People Act, which should have been named For the Politicians Act, because it aims to radically transform our elections by taking election decisions away from the people and giving more power to bureaucrats. This act utilizes taxpayer money to fund campaigns, legalizes ballot harvesting, weaponizes the IRS for political gain, and mandates felons be allowed to vote. Election integrity is one of the most pressing issues facing our nation, and while many in Congress attempt to further undermine our elections process, I’m committed to fighting for common sense rules that reflect the principle of 1 person, 1 vote.
H.R. 1 further undermines America’s faith in our elections by expanding mail-in voting, mandating same-day registration, banning state voter ID laws, and banning multi-state cross-checks. It would entirely overhaul how our elections are run by imposing California-style elections on states like Alabama. The primary authority to regulate elections would be taken away from the states and given to Washington bureaucrats. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill and the rest of Alabama’s election officials do an outstanding job managing Alabama’s elections, and the last thing we need is the federal government interfering with how we run our elections.
Congress should be working to restore America’s faith in our elections, rather than imposing dangerous big-government mandates on states. I’m proud to be a cosponsor of the Save Democracy Act, which promotes free and fair elections, respects the primary authority of states over election administration, and does not allow taxpayer money to be used for federal campaigns. The Save Democracy Act would prohibit automatic and same-day voter registration, require an ID to vote via mail or in person, and would require states to audit ballot tabulation systems within 30 days of an election.
Over the course of the past few months, we have collectively witnessed a crisis of confidence in our nation’s election systems, and it’s time we get serious about addressing this issue. A recent Gallup poll found more than 59% of Americans are not confident in the honesty of U.S. elections, and voter confidence is measurably worse only in Chile and Mexico. It’s critical we implement common sense election reforms to restore the integrity of our elections and restore America’s confidence in our democratic process because every American has the right to vote in a free and fair election and to know their vote is counted accurately.
Jerry Carl represents Alabama’s First Congressional District. He lives in Mobile with his wife Tina.
