You Can’t Use a Gym Card to Board a Plane, But.....

By Andy Caldwell

I must apologize for all the minutia in this piece, however, I feel it necessary to flush out the devil in the details as it pertains to all the ridiculous complaints about the SAVE Act, the passage of which is necessary to ensure the integrity of our elections.

Accordingly, what I will outline will serve to demonstrate that the requirements of the SAVE Act are scarcely more stringent than obtaining a CA driver’s license, and are virtually equal to obtaining a CA REAL ID. However, in the state of CA, what is required to prove identity to register to vote is, by comparison to all of the above, a contemptible absurdity.

The utter truth is that Democrats are lying when they say the SAVE Act will disenfranchise voters, especially minority voters, some 20 million of them, according to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Under the SAVE Act, individuals registering to vote in federal elections must provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. Acceptable documents include:

REAL ID-compliant driver’s license (more on that later)

U.S. passport or passport card

Military ID card along with a military service record showing U.S. birthplace

A government-issued photo ID showing the applicant’s place of birth

In-person presentation is required for both in-person and mail-voter registration applications.

None of these requirements are stringent, considering the fact that in order to get on a plane or enter a federal building you have to have a REAL ID (or passport), which, in CA, can only be obtained with virtually the same documents and the same in-person verification process!

The REAL ID Act was enacted in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission to establish federal standards for identification documents such as driver’s licenses. The Act passed the House 388-43. It passed the Senate 99-0.

That brings up the question of why Democrats didn’t oppose REAL ID for the same reasons as they oppose the SAVE Act, relatedly claiming it would disenfranchise minorities?

That is, to obtain a California REAL ID, you must provide proof of identity, your Social Security number, and prove your California residency. You must bring all the documents to complete your application at a DMV office so that they can be verified.

The key requirements for a California REAL ID include:

1. You must present an original or certified document showing your full legal name and date of birth. Acceptable documents include a valid U.S. passport, original or certified birth certificate,

2. You need to provide your SSN using documents such as a Social Security card, W-2 form, or pay stub showing your full SSN,

3. Proof of California Residency: Applicants must present two documents showing their full name and California residential address.

Acceptable documents include:

Rental or lease agreements

Utility bills (gas, water, electricity, cable)

Deed or title to residential property

Vehicle or vessel registration/title

Bank or insurance statements

To get a plain old ordinary driver’s license in the state of CA, the required documentation is pretty much the same as all of the above. You need proof of identity, Social Security number, and California residency, along with passing a vision and driving test.

Key Requirements

1. Proof of Identity:

You must provide one original or certified document showing your full legal name and date of birth. Acceptable documents include an unexpired U.S. passport, a certified U.S. birth certificate, or a valid permanent resident card. If your legal name has changed, bring a certified document linking the old and new names, such as a marriage certificate or court order,

2. Social Security Number:

Applicants must provide their Social Security number, verified electronically by the DMV. Acceptable proofs include a Social Security card, W-2 form, or pay stub showing the full number.

3. California Residency:

You need to prove California residency. For a standard license, one document is required; for a REAL ID, two documents are needed. Acceptable documents include utility bills, rental or lease agreements, mortgage statements, bank statements, or employment records, all showing your name and California address

I said all that to indicate that complying with the SAVE ACT is similar to the process of getting a regular driver’s license or a REAL ID.

Yet, consider the fact that California allows first-time voters, who can’t provide a Social Security number or driver’s license to prove identity while registering to vote, to register using such things as a gym membership card, a credit or debit card, or a prescription drug label. The law states, “Any doubt as to the sufficiency of proof or a document presented shall be resolved in favor of permitting the voter or new registrant to cast a regular ballot,” knowing full well that, for instance, a prescription drug label doesn’t come with either a photo ID or an address.

California politicians have the obvious choice to run their state elections in a manner that would be abhorrent in most banana republics, but they certainly have no prerogative to use these lax verification procedures when federal election results are at stake, and that is what the SAVE Act is all about.

Please support its passage.

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