Lake County Gazette

Jay Swidler, chairman of Vernon Township Republicans, has called on U.S. Senators to pass the SAVE Act to ensure election integrity and respect the will of Americans who support proof of citizenship for voting. Swidler made this statement to the Lake County Gazette.

"Senators are elected to reflect the voices of the people, and most Americans support verifying citizenship to vote," said Swidler. "The SAVE Act strengthens election security by ensuring only citizens can register for federal elections. This bill offers a practical solution to protect against fraud and build trust in the process. Let's make sure the vote belongs to the people—real citizens, real choices."

According to Fox News, the House passed the Trump-backed Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act with a vote of 220-208 on April 10, with all 208 opposing votes coming from Democrats. The bill mandates in-person proof of citizenship for federal election registration and aims to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. It now requires 60 votes in the Senate for passage. Despite broad public support for voter identification measures, Democrats largely opposed the bill. Fox reported that the SAVE Act gained traction amid the 2024 election cycle, with former President Trump and the Republican National Committee advocating for stricter voter verification in key battleground states.

A Gallup poll conducted shortly before the 2024 election indicated strong bipartisan support for several voting measures: early voting (76%), requiring photo ID to vote (84%), and proof of citizenship for first-time voter registration (83%). Additionally, smaller majorities favor automatic voter registration (60%) and sending absentee ballot applications to all voters (60%). Most Americans oppose limiting drop boxes (58%) and purging voters due to non-participation (64%). While Republicans tend to favor policies aimed at preventing voter fraud, Democrats generally support expanding access. Gallup noted that these views have remained relatively stable since 2022, with some shifts among partisan lines.

Swidler, a resident of Buffalo Grove, was first elected as Chairman of the Vernon Township Republicans in 2024. According to the organization’s website, he is "focused on boosting Republican voter turnout, growing the Party’s membership, and communicating the Party’s positions on issues that matter to Vernon Township voters."