Here’s How the Left Reacts When a House Dem Says Only Citizens Should Vote

Democrats heckled and booed a Democrat congresswoman from Washington state for backing a proposal to prevent noncitizens from voting in U.S. elections.

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a second term U.S. House member, was unable to say much when she held a town hall event in Vancouver, Washington, Thursday night, both CNN and CBS affiliate KOIN 6 News reported.

Gluesenkamp Perez voted for the SAVE Act, short for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which passed with the support of all House Republicans but only four Democrats. The bill would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote. 

The fiery town hall event offered a glimpse at how moderate Democrats are dealing with an increasingly leftward surging base. 

The town hall was raucous enough that a Gluesenkamp Perez staffer said they had to get the congresswoman out of the area for “security reasons” when a KOIN 6 News reporter asked for a brief interview. 

During the town hall, as constituents shouted, the congresswoman tried to explain her vote on the legislation.

“Americans believe that only U.S. citizens should be determining the outcome of American elections,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “And any idea that I am standing to disenfranchise people is patently false.” 

Opponents of the SAVE Act have contended that it would place an unnecessary burden on people who want to register to vote by requiring a proof of citizenship.

As noted in my book, “The Myth of Voter Suppression,” there have been numerous convictions of noncitizens who voted, while over the past two decades, voter participation has increased in states with voter ID laws.

Polling suggests she is right about what Americans believe, as more than 70% oppose proposals to allow noncitizens to vote, while more than 80% support requiring proof of identity at the ballot box.

The legislation also would unlikely disenfranchise anyone since proof that one is in the country legally is already required for getting employment in the United States via the I-9 form, or employment eligibility form, from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 

Still, her explanation didn’t go over well with attendees. 

“I came here to hear what she has to say. Unfortunately, it always sounds like the same thing,” Anna Brouns, identified as a longtime district resident, told the news station. 

The other Democrats who voted for the SAVE Act were Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez Jr. of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, and Jared Golden of Maine.

This article has been corrected to reflect how many Democrats voted for the SAVE Act.

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