WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and a member of the Rules Committee, released the following reaction to President Trump’s Executive Order, signed this week seeking to deny the right to vote to eligible citizens. The order would require the Election Assistance Commission to change its federal voter registration form to require proof of citizenship through a passport or birth certificate, restrict mail-in voting, and allow Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” to infiltrate our election systems:

“Make no mistake: this is a flagrant, unconstitutional attack on voting rights, designed by the Trump White House and their political enablers to stop Americans from participating in our democracy. Requiring documents that millions of people lack access to—including working voters, voters of color, seniors, young voters, rural voters—is voter suppression, plain and simple,” said Senator Welch. “Donald Trump is shamelessly robbing millions of Americans of their right to vote and allowing Elon Musk to infiltrate our federal elections. It is yet another abuse of executive power by Donald Trump, and we will stand up and fight for the right to vote.” 

Half of American adults—around 146 million Americans—do not have a valid passport. In Vermont, fewer than half of citizens have a valid passport. Married women and men who have changed their last name could be stopped from using a birth certificate as their proof of citizenship. More than 28 million people hold a license that doesn’t have their current address with their current name. An estimated 21.3 million people—or around 1 in 10 citizens—do not have ready access to their passport, birth certificate, or proof of citizenship. 

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