The Volunteer State didn’t wait for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act. We already verify citizenship status and require a photo ID to vote, so Tennesseans can cast their ballots knowing their vote will count and that elections are decided only by eligible voters. This isn't a partisan principle. It is a fundamental responsibility of government.
Election security starts with public confidence
Yet too many Democratic-led states are failing to fulfill the vital task of securing the integrity of the elections that determine our nation's future. They resist even basic safeguards designed to root out fraud and strengthen voter confidence. Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., are so radical that they require no documentation at the polls to vote.
Safe and secure elections are a hallmark of our
national identity. But we are not immune to fraud, and it shouldn't be controversial to say as much.
The consequences of lax voter laws are severe. Take New Jersey, where 6,600 noncitizens were discovered on the state's voter rolls and approximately 400 actually voted. That's 400 New Jerseyans whose voices were canceled by ineligible voters because their leaders chose ideology over election security.
The SAVE America Act would establish a national baseline
The American people understand what's at stake. That's why Republicans in Congress are trying to pass the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship at voter registration and a photo ID to vote in federal elections. Those two requirements are not radical. This is the baseline any serious election system should meet.
Still, Democrats are trying their hardest to sink it. The left continues to fearmonger and spew lies in an attempt to make showing an ID seem extreme. Having to show an ID to purchase a pack of cigarettes but not to receive a ballot at your polling place is an absurdity that only the far-left Democrats could support.
Americans see through the charade. Voters want it to be easy to vote and impossible to cheat. Eighty-three percent of Americans, including 71% of Democrats, support showing a government-issued ID at the polls.
Tennessee has strengthened safeguards while Washington debates
As the November Election approaches, nearly every Democratic member of Congress continues to stand in the way of passing this landmark legislation. However, Tennessee Republicans haven't waited on Washington to act. We have protected lawful voters in our state by implementing proven election safeguards.
This year, we passed a new law to strengthen the citizenship verification process when registering new voters. Unsurprisingly, not a single Democrat in the Tennessee General Assembly supported the bill. We also approved a proposed constitutional amendment affirming that only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in Tennessee elections. Nine Democrats voted no. And we have required a government-issued photo ID to vote since 2012. The result is a system Tennesseans can trust.
Our voting machines are publicly tested before every election, never connected to the internet and provide a mandatory paper audit trail allowing Tennesseans to verify accuracy before casting their ballots. From Mountain City to Memphis, bipartisan boards and poll officials count absentee ballots and tabulate election day results.
Tennessee's election model deserves national attention
We pass new laws every legislative session to strengthen our safeguards because Tennessee voters deserve nothing but the most secure and efficient elections. These efforts have allowed the Volunteer State to lead the nation in election integrity for five consecutive years. But this success also depends on eligible citizens participating. Tennesseans can make sure their voices are heard at the ballot box by registering ahead of the Oct. 5 deadline.
As Congress fights over the SAVE America Act, other states should look to Tennessee as a model for elections that all citizens can be proud of.
Tennessee has shown that it can be done. We maintain accurate voter rolls, require common-sense accountability and demand transparency. Now Congress should give Americans in every state the same confidence Tennesseans already have.
State Rep. Jason Zachary serves as deputy speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives and represents District 14, which includes part of Knox County.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee proves election security and access can coexist | Opinion
