Sen. Mike Lee renewed his push for the SAVE America Act after the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling upholding state rules that allow late-arriving mail ballots to be counted, Deseret News reports.
Deseret News reports the decision came in a case about Mississippi’s grace period for late mail ballots, and that Lee called on Congress to act to “restore trust and security in American elections.”
The Deseret article quotes Lee saying, “Congress exercised its constitutional authority to set the times, places, and manner of federal elections by designating one federal Election Day,” and that the court’s ruling “left the door open to counting late ballots for days afterward.”
Lee has repeatedly framed the SAVE America Act as a response to mail-in ballot rules; Deseret notes the bill would impose proof-of-citizenship and voter ID requirements and has stalled in the Senate because of the filibuster.
The legislation text on Congress.gov describes a measure to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections, language lawmakers have cited while debating the bill’s scope and possible effects.
Passage in the Senate would still require overcoming a 60-vote threshold to clear the filibuster, and some Republicans have joined Democrats in opposing portions of the bill, Deseret reports.
Policy and legal observers say the Supreme Court ruling is likely to sharpen the political fight over the SAVE Act as both supporters and opponents use the decision to press their cases ahead of the midterm elections. For related coverage of the high court’s recent decisions, see Supreme Court rulings, and for recent Senate maneuvering tied to GOP priorities see Clarity Act update.
“Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has decided to disregard the plain meaning of the law and left the door open to counting late ballots for days afterward. It is more urgent than ever for Congress to restore trust and security in American elections.”
Mike Lee, statement to Deseret News
Sources
- Deseret News — reported the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling, Lee’s statement and his renewed push for the SAVE America Act.
- Congress.gov — bill text describing the SAVE Act’s requirement for documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.
