SAVE America Act ‘Oppresses’ Seniors, Rural, Students
Stacey Abrams, a two-time Georgia gubernatorial candidate, said the Save America Act could make it harder for multiple groups to participate in close elections, which she said could benefit Republicans.
Abrams declared on MS NOW:
The oppression is real. In elections that are decided on the margins, voter suppression is found, whether it is ending mail-in voting using proof of citizenship, although every citizen must prove their citizenship to be registered on the rolls. These more restrictive policies combine to make it harder for everyday people to have their voices heard, if you’re a senior, if you live in a rural area, if you’re disabled, if you’re a student, if you’re a person of color, those are five populations that, when these bills and these rules and these executive orders come to fruition, take enough points away from the election that Republican authoritarians can get the result.
Abrams’ remarks come as Republicans continue to push for the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, require voter identification, end universal mail-in voting except in cases of disability, illness, travel or military service, and also codify protections for women’s sports and a ban on transgender surgeries for children.
On March 26, President Donald Trump called on Senate Republicans to end the filibuster in order to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security and the SAVE America Act. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Republicans should “END THE FILIBUSTER” and pass “all five elements” of the SAVE America Act, saying Democrats would eliminate the FILIBUSTER if they returned to power.
Former Georgia House Minority Leader lost gubernatorial races in 2018 and 2022 ahead of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Following his 2022 defeat, Abrams’ campaign came under fire after raising more than $100 million and paying off more than $1 million in debt.
During an appearance on CNN in November 2024, Abrams claimed The record number of early votes in Georgia did not mean voter suppression was absent.
“Turnout doesn’t mean there isn’t voter suppression activity,” Abrams said. “Many of these voters in 2020 were able to vote by mail. One of the reasons we’re seeing early lines is because they can no longer use the easier method of voting by mail because of SB 202, because of the SB 189 laws that Brad Raffensperger and Brian Kemp supported and pushed for.”
Abrams added: “People with disabilities, people who have lost their homes face a tougher time voting, but they refuse to be silenced. She added that voters were “lining up in lines they shouldn’t have to do because they believe their voice matters.”
