Both Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas were no votes when the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act passed the U.S. House in a bipartisan 221-198 vote Wednesday night, and Granite State Republicans want voters to know it.
The SAVE Act requires states to obtain proof of U.S. citizenship and identity – in person – when registering an individual to vote in a Federal election. It also requires states “to establish a program to remove non-citizens from their existing voter rolls,” according to a document provided by Rep. Chip Roy (D-Texas), the bill’s lead sponsor.
And because there are municipalities in places like Massachusetts and Vermont that allow non-citizens to vote in local elections and where progressive politicians oppose citizenship requirements, the SAVE Act also “empowers citizens to bring civil suits against election officials that fail to uphold proof of citizenship requirements for Federal elections… and adds penalties for election officials that register non-citizens to vote in Federal elections.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) strongly supported the bill. According to a memo he released before the vote, current laws against non-citizens voting have failed to stop hundreds from doing so and thousands from attempting to do so, state and federal investigations found.
“We have so many non-citizens in the country right now that if only one out of 100 of those illegal aliens voted, you’re talking about hundreds of thousands of votes being cast,” Johnson said in a speech from the House floor.
House Democratic leadership pledged to work hard to keep their members from defecting, but Maine Democrat Rep. Jared Golden broke with his party, anyway.
President Joe Biden also opposes the bill and has threatened to veto it. His GOP opponent, former President Donald Trump, is a vocal supporter. “Republicans must pass the Save Act, or go home and cry yourself to sleep,” he posted on social media before the vote.
On social media Johnson asked, “Why are Democrats so adamantly against ensuring only American citizens vote in our elections?”
Kuster and Pappas both declined to answer questions about their opposition to the SAVE Act.
But Republicans were more than happy to discuss the issue.
“Chris Pappas just voted to let illegal immigrants vote in our elections,” the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) said in a press release Wednesday night.
“This is a matter of national security and election integrity, and Chris Pappas is willing to compromise both just to avoid contradicting Biden’s open border. NH-01 deserves better than someone who would sell out their votes like that,” said NRCC Spokeswoman Savannah Viar.
Pappas’ would-be opponents in the First Congressional District GOP primary also called out the incumbent for opposing the bill.
“This guy is unbelievable,” said businessman Chris Bright. “There is no rational reason why we should not require voters to prove who they are. You need ID to buy cigarettes, board an airplane, or buy wine in the local grocery store. But requiring an ID to participate in one of the most critical functions of our republic? Chris Pappas says it’s not required.”
Manchester Alderman Joe Kelly Levasseur says the vote is proof “the Woke Mind Virus has gotten ahold of New Hampshire’s invisible congressman, Chis Pappas. It has become patently obvious that Pappas is nothing but a Biden bootlicker who does what he’s told. Pappas does not believe in election integrity, or even basic law and order rules and practice.”
“Only U.S. citizens should be voting in U.S. elections. Period!” said businesswoman Hollie Noveletsky. “This vote by Chris Pappas is just another example of how out of touch he is and the fact he is a rubber stamp for the far left.”
And former Executive Councilor Russell Prescott said, “Chris Pappas has once again proven that he prioritizes the desires of Joe Biden and the liberal extremes of his party over what is beneficial for Granite Staters and our republic. As someone who led the fight on voter ID, Pappas’s actions are unfathomable to me.”
Kuster is not seeking reelection, and neither of the Democrats hoping to replace her, former Biden administration official Maggie Goodlander and former Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern, would say if they would have voted the same way.
Vikram Mansharamani, a Republican running in the Second Congressional District primary, called them out for their silence.
“This is common sense legislation that I would have supported. Proving you are eligible to vote should not be a controversial concept. Maggie Goodlander and Colin Van Ostern need to answer a simple question: Do they think that illegal immigrants should be voting in U.S. elections?”
Lily Tang William, another Republican running for the NH-02 nomination, said, “American citizens’ vote in federal elections must be protected. If Democrats refuse to do this, they shouldn’t get elected by the people. These Democrats are the real threats to democracy.”
