Updated
Updated · Democracy Docket · Jul 18
Murkowski Rejects SAVE America Act, Saying 6 Alaska Election Offices Cannot Handle It
Updated
Updated · Democracy Docket · Jul 18

Murkowski Rejects SAVE America Act, Saying 6 Alaska Election Offices Cannot Handle It

1 articles · Updated · Democracy Docket · Jul 18

Summary

  • Lisa Murkowski said she will never vote for the SAVE America Act, arguing its current text would disenfranchise Alaskans and create nationwide election chaos before November.
  • Six election offices serve all of Alaska, she wrote, meaning many rural and island voters would face hundreds of dollars in flights, hotels and cab fares to meet in-person proof-of-citizenship requirements.
  • Mail voting is also central in Alaska because of weather and distance, but Trump’s version would sharply restrict absentee ballots to narrow cases such as military deployment and illness.
  • Implementation timing is another obstacle: Murkowski said the bill cannot realistically be put in place for this year’s midterms, a concern also raised by Sen. Thom Tillis and other Republican holdouts.
  • Trump pressed the Senate to pass the measure in a Thursday speech centered on debunked voter-fraud claims, but the bill still lacks enough GOP votes and Murkowski’s stance drew MAGA backlash online.

Insights

When voting requires a plane ticket, how do we ensure every citizen's voice is heard?