Media contact: media@asianlawcaucus.org
Asian Law Caucus Statement on Supreme Court Decision Allowing State Use of SAVE Database
SAN FRANCISCO — On Friday, the Supreme Court removed a stay on a lower court order that barred the federal government from using the flawed and inaccurate SAVE data system to conduct voter purges ahead of the November midterm elections. The decision comes after states such as Texas and Nevada have mistakenly identified eligible voters as noncitizens after using the federal database, with the latter then adding more than a million voters to a “suspense list.” Last week’s decision permits states to use the SAVE system as part of their eligibility checks, despite known problems with the accuracy of the data. Voting rights advocates have reiterated concerns that states that use this system will unfairly take away the voting rights of naturalized citizens.
Eileen Ma, director of democracy and national initiatives at Asian Law Caucus, shared the following reaction:
“Voting is a sacred right that generations before us have fought for. The Supreme Court’s decision got it wrong and enables the federal government to toy with people’s rights mere weeks away from an election. States relying on the error-prone SAVE system may create voter registration confusion and take away the ability to vote from naturalized citizens or people who happen to have incomplete Social Security records. It’s never been more important for voters to pay attention, check their voter registration status, and make a voting plan. Our voices have the power to decide the future of our communities and our country.”
###
Learn about your voting rights and how you can take action at citizensinaction.us, a project of Voto Latino and Asian Law Caucus.