Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) signed an executive order to protect election integrity and ensure only American citizens are participating in elections.
The order, called the “Only Citizens Will Vote Act,” aims to prevent non-citizens from voting by reviewing the state’s voter rolls.
“Idaho already has the most secure elections in the nation, and we’re going to keep it that way. My executive order – the ONLY CITIZENS WILL VOTE Act – directs Secretary of State Phil McGrane to work with local county clerks to scrub our voter rolls and make sure Idaho’s elections do not fall prey to the consequences of Biden’s lawless open border,” Governor Little said in a statement.
Secretary of State Shane McGrane celebrated the order’s efforts to keep the state “ahead of the pack in election integrity.”
“Across Idaho’s 44 counties, we have excellent mechanisms in place already to ensure non-citizens do not vote in Idaho, but there is always more we can do to make sure only citizens will vote,” he said. “I am proud to work closely with Governor Brad Little to put in place a plan that keeps Idaho ahead of the pack in election integrity.”
The effort comes as the Biden administration has rebuked the federal call to protect election integrity.
In a policy statement for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE), which calls for “documentary proof of United States citizenship,” such as a photo ID, passport, or birth certificate, the Biden administration said it “strongly opposes” the bill, explaining that it is “already illegal for noncitizens to vote in Federal elections—it is a Federal crime punishable by prison and fines.”
“The alleged justification for this bill is based on easily disproven falsehoods. Additionally, making a false claim of citizenship or unlawfully voting in an election is punishable by removal from the United States and a permanent bar to admission. States already have effective safeguards in place to verify voters’ eligibility and maintain the accuracy of voter rolls,” the statement read. “This bill would do nothing to safeguard our elections, but it would make it much harder for all eligible Americans to register to vote and increase the risk that eligible voters are purged from voter rolls. The evidence is clear that the current laws to prevent noncitizen voting are working as intended—it is extraordinarily rare for noncitizens to break the law by voting in Federal elections.”
