FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2023
Washington, D.C. – A comprehensive Election Integrity package to bolster confidence in free and fair elections this week was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The American Confidence in Elections (ACE) Act, led by Chairman Bryan Steil and the Committee on House Administration, equips states with a host of tools to strengthen the integrity of their elections while respecting the Constitution, federalism, and our sacred democratic principle of one person-one vote. The bill also reforms the District of Colombia’s broken and mismanaged election system.
The U.S. Constitution provides that Congress has exclusive jurisdiction over DC elections but limited jurisdiction over the states.
The ACE Act appropriately features ballot and voter integrity reforms that states can enact at their discretion, preserving this constitutionally prescribed balance by requiring reforms in DC but allowing states to choose.
National Chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative and former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has testified before the committee four times since 2021 regarding issues of Election Integrity, including twice this year in support of the ACE Act.
READ CUCCINELLI’S FULL LETTER OF SUPPORT | JUNE 7, 2023 TESTIMONY
Chairman Cuccinelli issued the following statement:
“While states are primarily responsible for the execution of our elections, now more than ever the federal government needs to make it easier for the states to carry them out. It is imperative that lawmakers do everything in their power to improve the transparency, security, accessibility and accountability of elections in every state, so that every American—regardless of color, creed or party affiliation—has certainty in the outcome of every election. Sadly, many disenfranchised voters from coast to coast continue to lack confidence that every legal vote is cast and counted fairly, equally, and with the highest standard of integrity.
“Importantly, the ACE Act would right-size DC elections through proven, fundamental, and commonsense reforms rooted in ballot and voter integrity, beginning with voter ID for in-person and mail voting. Voter ID, and particularly photo ID, is overwhelmingly popular among virtually every voting demographic because it protects the right to vote in elections that are fair and secure.
“Make no mistake, DC should be the gold standard for fair and honest elections. It is the right of every legal, voting-age American citizen to vote and to trust that their vote is properly counted and not cancelled by an improper or illegal vote. But the reality is that DC elections have, and continue to be, an unmitigated disaster.
“We thank Chairman Steil and his colleagues for their thoughtful, diligent examination of these important issues and the comprehensive solutions they’ve put forward. The ACE Act has our full support and we urge its swift passage by the House.”
Congress can require reforms to DC elections because Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the Constitution gives Congress the power “[t]o exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District.”
Regardless of one’s party, race, or where he or she lives, voter ID is overwhelmingly popular because it protects the right to vote in elections that are fair and secure.
- NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist: 79% of voters believe government-issued photo ID should be required, including majorities of Democrats (57%), Republicans, Independents, whites and non-whites.
- Pew: 76% of voters, including 61% of Democrats, favor “requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote.”
- CNN: 64% of voters, including 65% of minority voters, 69% of Independents and 65% of moderates, believe requiring photo ID would make elections fairer.
- Associated Press: “Bipartisan agreement on requiring all voters to provide photo identification at their polling place.”
- Honest Elections Project: 77% of voters, including Republicans (92%), Independents (75%), and Democrats (63%), support requiring voter ID 64% of Black voters, 77% of Hispanics, and 76% of low-income voters reject the notion that presenting a form of ID at the ballot-box is a “burden.”
- Monmouth University: 4 in 5 Americans (80%) support requiring voters to show photo ID.
- Grinnell College: 56% of voters oppose eliminating state laws that require photo ID.
- Fox News: 77% of voters believe a state or federally issued photo ID should be required.
- Rasmussen: 75% of voters say showing a photo ID is necessary for a “fair and secure election process,” while 85% of voters said it is “common sense” to require photo ID.
The Election Transparency Initiative, a partnership between the American Principles Project (APP) and Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, was organized to combat federal H.R. 1 and H.R. 4 legislation and advocate for state-based election reforms that voters can trust.
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