Remember back during the 2016 election when Hillary Clinton was running for president one of the slogans that became a meme everywhere was “Nevertheless She Persisted”. Unfortunately, she lost the election and yet this slogan has lived on and today is more important than ever.
Women are in the crosshairs of the new regime controlling our government now more than ever. They have already succeeded in making it more difficult for us to control our own healthcare and are working hard to take those rights completely away from us. And now while following their playbook of Project 2025 congress is working to pass a bill called the Save Act to require proof of citizenship to register to vote. It has already passed the House and is on its way to the Senate and is likely to pass there as well.
Senator Mike Lee of Utah has introduced this bill which adds an interesting wrinkle for women and men who have changed their legal name either through marriage or preference and it no longer matches their birth name on their birth certificate.
There are many ways to do this according to the bill. Here is a list copied from the bill.
“(b) Documentary Proof Of United States Citizenship.—As used in this Act, the term ‘documentary proof of United States citizenship’ means, with respect to an applicant for voter registration, any of the following:
“(1) A form of identification issued consistent with the requirements of the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United States.
“(2) A valid United States passport.
“(3) The applicant’s official United States military identification card, together with a United States military record of service showing that the applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.
“(4) A valid government-issued photo identification card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal government showing that the applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.
“(5) A valid government-issued photo identification card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal government other than an identification described in paragraphs (1) through (4), but only if presented together with one or more of the following:
“(A) A certified birth certificate issued by a State, a unit of local government in a State, or a Tribal government which—
“(i) was issued by the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government in which the applicant was born;
“(ii) was filed with the office responsible for keeping vital records in the State;
“(iii) includes the full name, date of birth, and place of birth of the applicant;
“(iv) lists the full names of one or both of the parents of the applicant;
“(v) has the signature of an individual who is authorized to sign birth certificates on behalf of the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government in which the applicant was born;
“(vi) includes the date that the certificate was filed with the office responsible for keeping vital records in the State; and
“(vii) has the seal of the State, unit of local government, or Tribal government that issued the birth certificate.
“(B) An extract from a United States hospital Record of Birth created at the time of the applicant’s birth which indicates that the applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.
“(C) A final adoption decree showing the applicant’s name and that the applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.
“(D) A Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a citizen of the United States or a certification of the applicant’s Report of Birth of a United States citizen issued by the Secretary of State.
“(E) A Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security or any other document or method of proof of United States citizenship issued by the Federal Government pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act.
“(F) An American Indian Card issued by the Department of Homeland Security with the classification ‘KIC’.”.
Notice Number 5 highlighted in yellow, if you only have a government issued ID card that does not show where you were born, you are required to provide a birth certificate and it must be consistent with your ID card which means if your given or maiden name is Johnson and your ID card says your married name is McDonald this gives the registrar the right to deny your voter registration and allows your name to be stricken from the voter rolls. Many states do not offer Real ID’s and the qualifications for those may change, we don’t know yet. They are already pausing passports and other forms of ID for transgenders who have changed their gender to X or their new gender.
This bill will strip voting rights for many married women across this nation and as you well know we are a major voting block and are more likely to vote Democrat rather than Republican.
So this is a call to all women and those who support women’s rights to protect yourself and your vote. Also this could apply to men who have changed their names in marriage to that of their wife’s name. If you are unable to get a Real ID or a Passport, or have a military ID it is possible to change your married name back to your maiden name. Each state has different forms and requirements to do this but it is possible no matter how long you have been married or now divorced. Just look it up on your web browser based on your state, or you can enlist the services of a Legal Aid service or hire a Legal Document Assistant. Also make sure you check to see what your state requirements for voting are and make sure your congressmen and senators know how important this is to us and to our continued support of them!
We must fight back in every way possible, we must persist, and persist, and persist.
Don’t forget to find some joy and give gratitude for at least 5 good things in your life and Have a Happy Day!
Cheryl
On to the Next Adventure 