No matter our race, gender, or political affiliation, most of us value the right to have a say in the decisions that affect our lives. The word “vote” comes from the same root as “voice,” and our voice flows from what makes us human, made in the “imago dei,” in the image of God. To restrict or deny the voice of someone restricts or denies the unique expression of that person.
The recent Executive Order signed on March 26 severely restricts the right to vote for millions of people in the U.S. This EO is another example of the illegal power grab by this Administration. With the help of an unelected billionaire, our voter registration systems are being invaded by DOGE, which significantly increases the possibility of disenfranchisement.
States have checks and balances in place to monitor voting fraud, and there has been very little abuse of the right to vote. This EO is a solution seeking a problem that simply does not exist.
If allowed to become law, there will be many legal citizens unable to produce the documents that are spelled out in this directive. Married women will not be able to produce a birth certificate with their married name, and many will not be able to afford the cost or the time to request a birth certificate at all. This simply takes our country back to the days of Jim Crow, where power was in the hands of a few wealthy white men.
Written by
Mary Danhauer
