HR-8677 : Still Just a Bill

The Save Voters Act, also known as H.R. 8677, proposes amendments to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The bill aims to protect voters from being improperly removed from voter registration lists. Here's a summary of the key provisions:

• Restrictions on Voter Roll Purges: States would be prohibited from removing a voter's name from the official list of eligible voters unless they can verify, using objective and reliable evidence, that the registrant is ineligible to vote.
• Unacceptable Evidence: The bill specifies that certain factors, alone or in combination, cannot be considered objective and reliable evidence of ineligibility, including:
  • Failure to vote in any election.
  • Failure to respond to a notice sent under section 8(d) of the National Voter Registration Act, unless the notice is returned as undeliverable.
  • Failure to take any other action related to voting or registration status.
• Post-Removal Notice: States would be required to notify individuals within 48 hours of their removal from the voter list, providing the grounds for removal and instructions on how to contest the removal or be reinstated. Exceptions apply if the voter confirms in writing they are no longer eligible or if the removal is due to the voter's death.
• Public Notice: States conducting general programs to remove ineligible voters must disseminate a public notice, through reasonable methods, that list maintenance is occurring and that registrants should check their status. This notice must be accessible to voters with disabilities.
• Restrictions on Address Verification Notices: States may not send address verification notices to registrants unless they have obtained objective and reliable evidence that the registrant has moved outside the registrar's jurisdiction.

In summary, H.R. 8677 seeks to establish stricter requirements for removing voters from registration lists, ensuring that removals are based on reliable evidence and that voters are properly notified.