When I ran to represent Arizona’s eighth Congressional District, I made a clear promise to my constituents: I would fight to restore faith and integrity in our election system. Today, that fight continues with the introduction of my new legislation, the Proving Residency for Overseas Voter Eligibility Act.
At a time when Americans are questioning the integrity of their elections more than ever before, Congress has a duty to close loopholes and fortify the systems that underpin our democratic process.
That is exactly what the PROVE Act does. It amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, known as UOCAVA, to require non-military overseas citizens to prove current residency in the state in which they wish to vote.
Let me be crystal clear: This is not about making it harder to vote. It is about making it harder to cheat and protecting the integrity of our elections. Currently, states are required to allow Americans living abroad to vote based solely on their last known residence, even if they haven’t set foot in that state for decades. In many cases, individuals voting in our elections have no connection to the state they are voting in, not even family, property, or a valid ID. That is not fair to those of us who live here, pay taxes here, and deal with the consequences of election outcomes firsthand.
Even more troubling is the fact that 39 states permit individuals who have never lived in the United States to vote in state elections. You read that right. Someone born abroad to an American parent who has never spent a single day living in Arizona or any other state can still vote in that state’s elections. This practice is absurd, especially when we are talking about swing states like my home state of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, states that often determine who becomes President of the United States.
This is as much a national security issue as it is a sovereignty issue. And, most importantly, it is an election integrity issue. The PROVE Act fixes that. Under this bill, only overseas citizens who can prove current residency, either personally or through a spouse, parent, or legal guardian, will be allowed to vote in that state’s elections. If they cannot prove residency, they may still vote in federal elections, but only through the District of Columbia, ensuring their vote is counted without unfairly tipping the scales in any particular state.
This is a commonsense safeguard. It protects legitimate overseas voters while shutting the door on those attempting to game the system. Again, this is common sense. Something that is unfortunately lacking too much in Congress nowadays.
Arizona has already been through enough when it comes to election mismanagement, bloated voter rolls, confusing ballot procedures, delays in counting votes, and judges who sidestep accountability.
We know firsthand how these problems erode trust. That is why, since taking office, I have introduced several bills designed to clean up the voter rolls, increase transparency, and prevent foreign interference. My legislation builds on that foundation by targeting one of the most overlooked weaknesses in federal election law.
Critics may try to label this bill as restrictive. But what they call restrictive, I call responsible. In no other part of our lives do we allow people to claim a connection to a place without verification, except when it comes to voting. That double standard is unacceptable.
We do not let people register for state benefits without proof of residence. We do not let them enroll in schools or get a driver’s license without showing where they live. So why do we let them vote without proving they even live here?
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I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to put partisan politics aside and stand with Americans on this issue. The right to vote is sacred, but so is the right of every citizen to know that elections are being conducted fairly and legally.
This is not a partisan bill. It is a patriot’s bill. It says if you want to vote in a state, you need to prove you have a real connection to that state. That is not radical. Again, it’s just common sense. It is time we bring accountability back into the process and shut down the backdoors that allow non-residents to influence the outcome of our elections. With the PROVE Act, we can take a major step forward in rebuilding trust in our democracy, one voter, one ballot, and one state at a time. Let’s get it done.
Abe Hamadeh is the member of Congress from Arizona’s Eighth Congressional District.