Incumbent Balint voted against SAVE Act last week
By Guy Page
Vermont’s incumbent Democrat member of Congress and a Republican challenger are at odds over the July 10 U.S. House passage of the SAVE Act that prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections.
Mark Coester, a Westminster businessman and the Republican candidate for Congress in Vermont’s at-large district, congratulated the House for passing the SAVE Act (H.R. 8281), which aims to uphold the integrity of federal elections by prohibiting non-citizens from voting.
Several Vermont municipalities currently allow non-citizen voting in local elections. The municipal charter changes were approved by the Vermont Legislature and to date have survived court challenges. If signed into law, the SAVE Act would take priority over any state laws to the contrary, because federal law ‘pre-empts’ state law.
Supporters say these laws do not explicitly violate federal law prohibiting non-voting in federal elections. However, the SAVE Act would prohibit not only voting in federal elections, but takes the additional step of prohibiting registration of non-citizens for potential voting in a federal election. Such a step would eliminate the possibility of non-citizen voters, either in error or on purpose, of voting in a federal election.
The SAVE Act as passed July 10 by the U.S. House and pending Senate deliberation, states:
“Requiring Applicants To Present Documentary Proof Of United States Citizenship.—Under any method of voter registration in a State, the State shall not accept and process an application to register to vote in an election for Federal office unless the applicant presents documentary proof of United States citizenship with the application.”
The bill also requires states remove non-citizens from the voting rolls:
“A State shall remove an individual who is not a citizen of the United States from the official list of eligible voters for elections for Federal office held in the State at any time upon receipt of documentation or verified information that a registrant is not a United States citizen.”
Incumbent Rep. Becca Balint voted No on H.1881, according to the roll call on Congress.gov. She has not commented on her vote on her X page, the platform on which she offers information and statements on last week’s flooding and other major issues.
The SAVE Act, officially titled the “Safeguarding American Votes and Elections Act,” emphasizes the principle that only U.S. citizens should vote in federal elections, Coester said.
“If this also passes the Senate, this will represent a major advancement in safeguarding the integrity of our federal elections,” Coester said. “Making sure that only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections is not just about following the law; it is also about regaining the trust and confidence of the American people in our electoral system. It is inexplicable to me why 198 House Democrats choose to vote against this bill.”
According to a Coester campaign statement, the SAVE Act addresses election integrity by:
● Requiring states to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering individuals to vote in federal elections
● Requiring states to remove non-citizens from their official lists of eligible voters.
● Establishing criminal penalties for registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentation proving U.S. citizenship.
Coester said his endorsement of the SAVE Act reflects his broader commitment to ensuring transparent and secure elections. As a candidate for Vermont’s at-large US House seat, Coester is dedicated to advocating for policies that uphold the rights of American citizens and representing the interests of his fellow Vermonters.
For more information on Mark Coester’s campaign and his stance on other critical issues, visit mark4vermont.com.