On April 10, the U.S. House passed the SAVE Act, a bill that would require all voters to show documentary proof of U.S. citizenship — such as a passport or certified birth certificate — just to register to vote in federal elections.

Supporters say it’s about protecting our elections. But what this bill actually does is put up steep barriers for tens of thousands of law-abiding Mainers — and for no good reason. This is not a partisan concern. It’s not a liberal or conservative issue. It’s about whether we believe voting is a right for all American citizens, or only for those with the right papers in the right order.

Let’s be clear: there is almost no evidence of widespread non-citizen voting. Even conservative-leaning studies have consistently found it to be extremely rare — less than 0.0001% in many cases. Yet the SAVE Act would overhaul our registration system to solve a problem that barely exists, while introducing real harm to people who have done nothing wrong.

Imagine a retired woman in Aroostook County who never had a passport and whose birth certificate was lost in a fire decades ago. Under this law, she might have to pay to request a new certificate from out of state, find transportation to an election office miles away and provide additional proof if her current name doesn’t match what’s on file. That’s not election integrity — that’s red tape that keeps honest citizens from participating.

Or think of a young man in Lewiston who was adopted from another state. His documentation may not match perfectly, and he might not even know where to start to “prove” his citizenship again. And what about a military veteran in rural Washington County who served this country but doesn’t have a current passport or access to a local office that can issue one?

This law assumes fraud where there is none — and places the burden of proof on the citizen.

The SAVE Act claims to allow for alternatives if a person’s documents don’t match. But the bill provides no specifics. It leaves it to each state to figure out what’s “good enough,” opening the door to confusion, delays and inconsistent enforcement. We know what that looks like: different rules in different counties, overworked town clerks left to interpret vague laws and voters caught in the middle.

Mainers are used to doing things the right way — showing up, speaking honestly, taking responsibility. We have one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country. Our town clerks, registrars and poll workers are trusted neighbors, not part of some corrupt machine. We have no tradition of voter fraud here, but the SAVE Act treats all of us as if we can’t be trusted.

The Senate now has the power to stop this. I urge Sens. Collins and King to stand for our Maine values — fairness, common sense and the belief that every American citizen should have an equal voice in their democracy.

This isn’t about right or left. It’s about right or wrong.