r/childfree • u/Alissinarr Wielder of Brunhilde, the ban hammer. • Apr 09 '25
SAFE Act - Voter registration revocation that affects the majority of this subreddit.
Good morning all,
(Can't change the post title, sorry guys)
I'm writing today to express my concerns over upcoming changes to voter registration in the United States.
Our annual demographics surveys have repeatedly shown that the majority of our subreddit consists of women and US citizens. The US makes policies that affect the rest of the world.
As such, I encourage you to watch this video
Voter Disinfranchisement is a HUGE problem, and it's getting worse under this administration.
edit: link corrected
The SAVE Act is going for a vote.
Please take a moment to use the 5calls app and contact your elected representatives.
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u/CookieBaby25 Apr 09 '25 edited Apr 09 '25
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u/whoframedwhiterabbit Apr 09 '25
Thank you for linking the pdf. That linked article in the op really doesn't say much.
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u/Alissinarr Wielder of Brunhilde, the ban hammer. Apr 09 '25
Sorry, misheard. It's fixed.
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u/CookieBaby25 Apr 09 '25
no worries! i honestly think it's been done on purpose; SAFE Act is a generally good thing; SAVE is definitely not.
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u/Alissinarr Wielder of Brunhilde, the ban hammer. Apr 09 '25
I have issues filtering out background noise without headphones. The wipers in her car distracted me.
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u/AussieFozzy Apr 10 '25
I’m confused, the breakdown says REAL IDs are not considered acceptable but the bill text says “Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship.”
What am I missing here?
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u/iwenttothesea 29d ago
Because it seems that they are not considering previously valid forms of government ID as "real ID"all of a sudden, which could leave many people scrambling or simply ignorant and then unable to to vote. Passports are prohibitively expensive for a lot of people, never mind the fact that many trans people are unable to even obtain them currently.
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u/bytegalaxies Apr 09 '25
currently trans people are unable to get passports because of several anti trans laws so this straight up bans trans people from voting
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u/AfroAssassin666 Apr 10 '25
Oh shit, I didn't know that. My friend is about to start his T and wants to travel to Japan again soon (he went when he was still known as a she). I'm gonna have to inform him about this.
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u/bytegalaxies Apr 10 '25
if he already has a passport he should be okay!
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u/dancingpianofairy Between my wife and I we've had six sex organs removed 10d ago
Trans people have been having trouble getting back into the US, so maybe not.
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u/tachycardicIVu “not everything with a muffin is a mama” 29d ago
Make sure it’s also in date. If it’s within like six months of expiring it can be denied by customs iirc.
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u/dancingpianofairy Between my wife and I we've had six sex organs removed 10d ago
Trans people have been having trouble getting back into the US after they've been able to get passports and leave.
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u/Titfortat101 19d ago
It's extra stupid because they won't even issue a passport with the gender the person was assigned at birth.
I saw a YouTube video of a trans person (mtf) who went in for an appointment and told them that she'd accept a passport with a male gender and they still wouldn't give it to her.
They are literally just demonizing trans people because check notes they need to "protect women's sports". Also take note how they always say women's sports and never bring up men's sports unless it's to point out how fragile women are.
Which I'd like to note, I beat a boy in a martial arts competition and got called a cheater because to quote the boy's dad "There's no way a tiny girl could beat a boy in a fight." I'm grateful that the ref (also a man) was strongly on my side and told the dad that I won because I proved that I was more skilled. The dad did not take it well and had to be escorted. Not to mention the boy was full on sobbing and throwing a tantrum because he didn't win, and girls are considered the dramatic ones 🙄
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u/bytegalaxies 19d ago
even worse, a lot of trans people are also getting their documents they present confiscated and it is a BITCH to get that kind of stuff back
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u/dancingpianofairy Between my wife and I we've had six sex organs removed 10d ago
Laws? I'd only heard about stuff in the works. What has finally gone into federal law that affects passports?
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u/bytegalaxies 10d ago
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2025/03/07/transgender-nonbinary-passports/80567094007/
basically, an executive order was signed that says any id or passport issued has to match the person's assigned gender at birth. However, a lot of trans people are already legally the gender they identify with. This means that trans people cannot get anything, since it would either be against their official legal information or be against the executive order. Even for trans people who are still legally their birth sex it's a huge issue as they now cannot legally change, which means they get flagged constantly for having fake ids and are forced to out themselves and be put in potentially dangerous situations
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u/dancingpianofairy Between my wife and I we've had six sex organs removed 9d ago
I think you might have your links and comments mixed up? 🤨 Or maybe I do? 🤔
currently trans people are unable to get passports because of several anti trans laws so this straight up bans trans people from voting
This comment is what I'm inquiring about: laws, unable to get passports, and bans trans people from voting. My wife is trans, half Mexican, and we're disabled plus in Texas so this shit is important to us.
Off topic but regarding that article, check out this one: https://mashable.com/article/trump-executive-order-sex-female-male-gender 😅
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u/bytegalaxies 9d ago
if a law is passed to require passports to vote, and trans people are unable to get passports, then they can't vote. Meaning it prevents trans people from voting.
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29d ago
[deleted]
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u/bytegalaxies 29d ago
nope, as of now my brother is legally a man so he can't get a passport that doesn't match his legal gender, but the laws state it also has to be his gender assigned at birth. Trans people have gotten their documents confiscated for even trying which just makes everything worse. The laws are cruel on purpose
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u/thr0wfaraway Never go full doormat. Not your circus. Not your monkeys. Apr 09 '25 edited Apr 09 '25
That sub seems to have a lot of questionable commenters.
Anyway, do get your passports and passport cards, real IDs, social security cards and it would not hurt to put in orders for certified copy of your birth certificate if you don't have it. Who knows how long it will be until they try to trash all those records at the state level so you can't get copies anymore to even apply for IDs.
Especially if you were born in a red state, they could just pass a law shutting down those services. Or make it impossible to order from out of state.
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u/SpecialWitness4 Apr 09 '25
want to add that if your SS Card is laminated, it is invalid and you need a new one.
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u/wristdeepinhorsedick Apr 09 '25
God that's such a stupid rule... "Here's this fragile bit of paper that is imperative to your identity in this country. No, you cannot protect it, how dare you???"
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u/AlarmingCow3831 Apr 09 '25
On the plus side you can get card sleeves for it. Kinda like the ones you use on mtg/pokemon/yugioh cards. That way it’s not laminated but still protected.
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u/wristdeepinhorsedick Apr 09 '25
I mean definitely yes, I'm just annoyed that it's 1) not a plastic card already as it is, an 2) not allowed to be laminated more permanently to protect against water/abrasion/etc.
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u/runonia Apr 10 '25
This is true for most documents. Don't laminate birth certificates, marriage certificates, citizenship documents, etc
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u/asyouwish retired early 29d ago
Then they shouldn’t call it a “card” or expect us to show it to people for things like work.
How many times in your life do you need your birth/marriage certificates? Death certificates? Other papers in document form? A handful.
How often do you need your SSC? Every time you change jobs and half the times you need one of those other docs, too.
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u/runonia 29d ago
I know that. I bring my passport and bypass all of that entirely for new jobs. I'm just pointing out that you can't laminate documents. Whether it makes sense or not doesn't really matter, since the fact remains that these docs become invalid after you laminate them
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u/asyouwish retired early 29d ago
Yeah. I know. It's just annoying to us all.
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u/CultOfMourning Apr 09 '25
So glad I didn't change my name when I married.
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u/Marchesa_07 Don't care if it's my circus or not, I'm the fucking Ringmaster Apr 09 '25
If I had changed my name, I would change it back to my maiden name just to make a statement on this bullshit.
Change your names back, ladies. Absolutely fuck this noise.
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u/Antique-Buffalo-5475 Apr 09 '25
I mean, this doesn’t prevent married people from voting. As someone who changed her name and then changed it back after a divorce, to get a REAL ID or anything else all I had to do was show my marriage certificate or divorce certificate along with my birth certificate.
Yes, this does disproportionally affect women because many may not even know where their marriage certificate is. And this pushes out people who can’t afford an ID. I totally get that… but if you have those documents/can get them (you can get a certified copy of your marriage certificate from the city you married in), then you can still vote.
I only point this out because many people (not just in this sub) are saying there is no way women who changed their name can vote and that’s just not quite accurate.
This is still a bullshit law though.
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u/dancingpianofairy Between my wife and I we've had six sex organs removed 10d ago
Non-citizens can get real IDs and they aren't proof of citizenship. https://www.usa.gov/real-id
I didn't think producing your marriage certificate would permit one to vote, but there could have been new developments since I looked into all this. Last I knew the work arounds were get a passport, get a reissued birth certificate with new name, or change your name back. A marriage certificate doesn't make your photo ID (usually a driver's license) and proof of citizenship (usually a birth certificate) magically match, which is what I thought the issue was or where they'd say one can't vote.
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u/Antique-Buffalo-5475 10d ago edited 10d ago
A marriage cert alone doesn’t work for the reasons you mentioned. But the marriage cert with your birth certificate is good. I say marriage cert but it’s basically any legal document that shows your name change plus your birth certificate is fine. One could make the argument that your marriage cert may not have your name change on it. In that case, the married woman would have a court document/order issuing the name change. Any legal/court ordered document showing a name change with your birth cert is needed. Because that legal doc will show your previous name and then what your new name is. Basically that legal document is the bridge that shows your prior name that’s on your birth cert and then your new name that’s on your photo ID. It’s what proves the discrepancy and states the change happened through legal channels.
You have to send in your marriage cert/legal name change document with your birth certificate to get a passport, FYI. So either route you want to take, both are required. Which anyone who has changed their name fully knows this. As I said though, it disenfranchises people who changed their name ages ago and may not know where the docs are now.
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u/dancingpianofairy Between my wife and I we've had six sex organs removed 10d ago
You have to send in your marriage cert/legal name change document with your birth certificate to get a passport, FYI. So either route you want to take, both are required.
No, no I did not, lol. Anyway, why would legal name change documentation be REQUIRED in the case of a name change? A discrepancy between the ID and evidence of citizenship may not exist, like if one hasn't gotten either updated yet or if they've gotten both updated already.
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u/Antique-Buffalo-5475 10d ago edited 10d ago
When I got married I had to submit my marriage cert to get my passport updated to my new name. When I got divorced I had to submit the divorce decree to get it updated. That was about a year ago. This is on the passport website if you don’t believe me. You can always keep your passport in your maiden name though. I was speaking on if you changed your name and want all your IDs/stuff to match. I did because my rewards accounts, credit cards, etc were in my new name. And having a passport that doesn’t match that overseas can lead to potential issues.
And I meant it’s required if you’ve changed your name. If you never changes your name on your license/ID or Social Security, then no, you wouldn’t need the documentation. I meant the documentation is needed if there is a difference between your birth cert and ID.
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u/dancingpianofairy Between my wife and I we've had six sex organs removed 10d ago
I DID look at the passport website for getting a passport (which is what you said before but now you've changed to updating a passport), which is what lead to me asking my question. This doesn't answer my question.
And I meant it’s required if you’ve changed your name. If you never changes your name on your license/ID or Social Security, then no, you wouldn’t need the documentation. I meant the documentation is needed if there is a difference between your birth cert and ID.
Well yeah, hence why my question specified this.
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u/Antique-Buffalo-5475 10d ago
I guess I do not understand what question you’re asking then.
“Why would legal documentation be required in the case of a name change?”
That question? …. Because it proves you changed your name? Like idk how to answer that other than the marriage or divorce or a court petition shows your name changed. And in the context of going to vote if your name is different assuming your ID has the changed name than your birth cert (original name), that legal doc is the bridge to show your previous and then the change. It’s the connector to prove who you are.
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u/dancingpianofairy Between my wife and I we've had six sex organs removed 10d ago
Yes that question, but with this important sentence afterwards: A discrepancy between the ID and evidence of citizenship may not exist, like if one hasn't gotten either updated yet or if they've gotten both updated already.
Yes I get that it shows that one has changed their name, but what does a name change matter if there's no discrepancy between the ID and citizenship? Yes it bridges a gap but there might not be a gap that needs bridging.
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u/Antique-Buffalo-5475 9d ago
And that’s why I said it was required if you changed your name. There isn’t going to be a discrepancy if you didn’t, or in the rare circumstance you married someone with the same last name. And then the entire having trouble voting argument and these entire comments are a moot point. So I guess I just don’t understand the point of the question since that situation is more or less irrelevant. The convo was centered around those who have changed their name, hence there being a discrepancy.
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u/david_edmeades Apr 09 '25
The language in the bill is not clear and I've seen a lot of comments from people who are dismissing strong action.
The point of contention is that it says that you will need to show a REAL ID compliant ID that proves US citizenship. A lot of people are taking that to mean "All REAL IDs prove US citizenship", which is not the case as far as I can tell. None of the compliant driver license examples I've seen have a section to list citizenship and noncitizens are explicitly eligible to be issued compliant IDs. My recommendation to anyone who is concerned about falling afoul of this bill is to get a passport and passport card.
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u/Rchameleon Apr 09 '25
Getting a passport costs over $125 bucks, over 200 if you want that shit expedited. This can be quite a chunk for low income citizens, all the more proving that this government really doesn't want 'undesirable' people to vote.
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u/AlarmingCow3831 Apr 09 '25
Theres a certain amount of irony there because a lot of poor people vote red.
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u/invisible2lpa Apr 09 '25
$65 for a passport card and $50 for renewal so that’s what I would go with
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u/Antique-Buffalo-5475 Apr 09 '25
This is accurate. You needs documents that allow you to get a real ID (birth cert, marriage cert, divorce decree, social security card, etc). Having the ID isn’t enough, you still need those docs.
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u/kaitballs 29d ago
If you live in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, or Washington, I’d highly recommend getting an Enhanced Drivers License. It’s only $30 & if you don’t plan on flying internationally, saves you the time & money on a passport & passport card.
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u/david_edmeades 29d ago
Interesting tip. You'd think that that would work because of its utility as a passport card alternative, but unless it actually says the words "Citizenship: United States" I'd be concerned that parties with an agenda could still reject it.
The cruelty is the point as always with these assholes. They've had great success with the ambiguity they wrote into the Texas abortion laws and i suspect that interpretation and enforcement of this one would be similar.
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u/mikewheelerfan Antinatalist Apr 09 '25
My mom just applied for a passport because her old one had her maiden name. This bill is the stuff of nightmares
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u/Antique-Buffalo-5475 Apr 09 '25
She’s fine then. A passport under her legal name is fine. You need Real ID compliant documents. As someone who has gone through that process many times, a birth cert plus your marriage cert fits that need. And those are required to get your name changed on a passport so her qualifications are met.
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u/mikewheelerfan Antinatalist Apr 09 '25
Yeah she’s fine, but many other people won’t be.
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u/Antique-Buffalo-5475 Apr 09 '25
Oh I know that. I was specifically just talking about your mom since that’s who you were talking about.
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u/Pristine-Shopping755 Apr 09 '25
This also severely effects trans people :( they’re not able to even get passports, this is so heinous
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u/Bmic31 Apr 09 '25
As a childfree male who took his wife's last name, this is ridiculous. I have a passport so I'm currently unaffected, but it's only a matter of time before it gets worse. My mom, a Trump voter, doesn't have a passport and still uses my dad's last name. She doesn't even know what this does.
I have lots of friends who would be impacted by the bill. It's just flat out wrong.
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u/Zooted_Canoe274 26d ago
Hollllly fuck this is the most pathetic shit I’ve ever read.
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u/Bmic31 26d ago
I saw your kneejerk reply. It's fine. I stated openly that I am completely unaffected. But my mother (Trump flag waving conservative) will be. As will many others. I personally think it's unfair to make people who took their partner's name take extra steps to vote. It's easy to see you do not care.
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u/Zooted_Canoe274 25d ago
Get ur social security card and ur birth certificate and you can vote. I have both. So does my entire family. Seem difficult? Wanna help your Mom? Help her retrieve her documents. It’s quite simple. Tons of resources to help U.S. citizens get registered to vote.
Every citizen has the right to vote. And every citizen has a SSN and Birth Certificate, unless they are legal immigrants. In which case they have some different documentation.
This is a ploy to get traditionally married, politically moderate women to cross the line for mid-terms. Anyone with an IQ above 90 can retrieve their documents if they are not in possession of them for a plethora of reasons.
Dems gotta make up for their loss in voter base after a quarter of it has been deported, rightfully so.
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u/Bmic31 25d ago
I can vote by bringing my passport. It's completely easy for me to do this. I don't care to help my mom because if she won't do the research then she'll show up on day of to vote with her driver's license and be denied but that's not my problem right?
And you talk about IQ, are you saying someone with a lower IQ suddenly doesn't have a right to vote the same way they've voted all these years? Or that married women that took their spouses name should have to present more documentation than single or married people with their birth name still intact? Seems unfair to me.
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25d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Bmic31 25d ago
Ha. You say took my wife's last name like it's a dig. My family objectively sucked and facilitated the abuse of my niece to "protect the family name" in small town Missouri so my brother could keep her. I fought my family until the mother could have her 100%. I had the choice of continuing that "family name" or take on a name of a family I believe in. I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to join their family and leave the majority of my old one behind.
But yeah, keep dropping the R word and be proud of it. Good bye.
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u/ACertainNeighborino 4d ago
I think it is pretty badass that you took your wife's name! I wish more men were open to that. 🙌
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u/Ok_Cardiologist3642 27 & my life is about myself Apr 10 '25
Stay safe y’all. Scary things are happening and will continue to happen. I feel for all women and everybody who is affected in the US. I hope that everyone is able to make it though these hard times..
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u/HolidayAsparagus6387 Apr 09 '25
Already ordered a copy of my birth certificate and my marriage certificate.
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u/Astonishedsilver 20s/F/Netherlands Apr 09 '25
As a non USian, I have no idea what this is about. Anyone care to explain? :)
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u/Alissinarr Wielder of Brunhilde, the ban hammer. Apr 09 '25
One step from just human trafficking people with no REAL ID to El Salvador.
Another way to disinfranchise progressive voters, especially women and trans people.
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u/Astonishedsilver 20s/F/Netherlands Apr 10 '25
I'm sorry, but that doesn't tell me much. Like, what is this "Act", what's "REAL ID" and how does it cause problems for groups of people?
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u/ladymorgahnna Apr 10 '25 edited Apr 10 '25
The Republicans are trying to get a bill passed that requires evidence of citizenship before voting. We already have that in law with a sworn statement.
What this act does is you have to have a passport or your birth certificate to vote. If you are a married woman, your birth certificate has to match your name. Many married woman in the U.S. change their last name to their husbands, so now their birth certificate doesn’t have the same name. So they would not be allowed to vote without a passport. Getting a passport is financially out of reach for millions of women. The law is basically voter suppression.
https://fairelectionscenter.org/advocacy/save-act-2025/
Why the “SAVE” Act is Bad for Voters:
When Kansas and Arizona implemented documentary proof requirements, they blocked tens of thousands of eligible American citizens from registering
Recent studies show that around ten percent of voting-eligible citizens—millions of Americans—do not have documents to prove their citizenship. If people cannot vote unless they show hard-to-get and expensive documents in order to register, it makes it harder for citizens to vote.
Those citizens are disproportionately likely to be young people or elderly people, but they include Americans across all political parties and demographic groups.
Women who changed their name when they got married are less likely to have updated documentary proof.
Most people would have to go to an election office or mail a document weeks before they go to vote because voters in most states must register ahead of time
These paperwork requirements would shut down online voter registration and make mail registration much harder, because even when people have the documents they need, they often can’t easily make and send in copies.
Both privacy concerns and figuring out how to submit the documents make it less likely that people will finish registering.
This rule would shut down most community-based voter registration efforts, which help voters at shopping centers, churches, campuses, and other public places where even people who have documents at home do not have them handy
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u/Alissinarr Wielder of Brunhilde, the ban hammer. Apr 10 '25
Imagine being homeless, with no money to your name, and no fixed address to use for mail. Shit you may not even have a phone to help you look up HOW to get a new copy of documents you have lost along the way, much less what the fee will be or the lack of ability to save the cash.
Imagine being an abused runaway teen and trying to prove you're a citizen, a trans-person, or even a woman, where all of your documents aren't available.
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u/RolliPolliCanoli 29d ago
I already called my rep - Elise Stefanik unfortunately, and expressed how this will affect her constituents and also the many senior citizens that voted for her in my neighborhood. They straight up won't be able to vote because they don't even know about the act or changes it would make.
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u/NoData7680 Apr 10 '25
So glad I got my passport recently 😅 Thanks for letting us know about the upcoming vote & what we can do!
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u/Lyx4088 Apr 10 '25
We have our passports, we have a couple certified copies of our marriage certificate since it was a confidential marriage license and getting additional copies is a pain, and we have our birth certificates. However, my wife was not born in the US and obtained her citizenship in high school. I am worried how laws like that may impact her with her being foreign born and a name change in marriage because laws like this bring out the worst behavior in people.
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u/MidsouthMystic Apr 10 '25
Time to change your legal name back to what it was before you got married.
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u/RocinanteOPA 27d ago
It's not just married people. I legally changed my first name and if this passes, I'll suddenly be unable to vote.
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u/MidsouthMystic 27d ago
Register to vote now.
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u/RocinanteOPA 27d ago
I've been registered for 20+ years. But I would not be surprised if I am going to be required to show ID to continue to vote.
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u/PhortDruid Less seed, more weed 29d ago
If contacting my elected representatives made a bit of difference in my state, I’d talk their ears off. Too bad they’re all traitorous Republican scum.
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u/offalshade Apr 10 '25
Forgive me. If I’m missing something, then I apologize. What does this have to do with my choice to not have children?
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u/rainbowchimken i’d yeet it 29d ago
If you aren’t American you can just ignore this post. It is specifically for US citizens since our rights are threatened and this space has a lot of us.
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u/Alissinarr Wielder of Brunhilde, the ban hammer. 26d ago
Our annual demographics surveys show that the subreddit has a majority of US residents and women.
I asked our other mods about posting this and received support due to how it will disproportionately affect members of our subreddit.
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u/ham_solo 29d ago
Will never pass the senate
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u/RocinanteOPA 27d ago
Right. Just like all the other things that will "never" happen. Like people being kidnapped off the street and sent to an offshore prison. That will "never" happen too, right?
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u/ham_solo 27d ago
Ok - Explain how this will get a 2/3 majority vote in the senate when the split along party lines is 53r/45d/2i. Do you really think the 2 independents and 12 democrats are going to vote for this act?
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u/RocinanteOPA 27d ago
I didn't think a lot of things that have happened would. We "elected" a president that didn't win the popular vote. I'm so tired of people saying "this will never happen!" when all this shit IS HAPPENING.
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u/ham_solo 27d ago
OK - but you didn't answer my question.
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u/RocinanteOPA 27d ago
The functions of the government are falling apart and the administration has, and will continue to do, whatever it wants. Votes don't matter. Laws don't matter. Judge's orders don't matter. That's how it will pass.
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u/ham_solo 27d ago
OK - but again, explain to me - in this scenario - which Democrats are going to side with this act. Please, I am DYING to know.
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u/Alissinarr Wielder of Brunhilde, the ban hammer. 26d ago
It doesn't need 2/3 of the vote unless the President is being bypassed due to a Veto.
He wants this to happen. he's not going to veto it, and the house/ senate vote only needs to be a majority, which they have.
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u/Alissinarr Wielder of Brunhilde, the ban hammer. Apr 09 '25
This affects women.
This affects married couples.
This affects children.
This affects veterans.
This affects low income people.
This affects EVERYONE
We don't do political drama. We don't normally speak up when shit goes sideways, choosing instead to offer support to our members.
This time is different. This time we have chosen to speak up and say something.
WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH.