Weekly Email 3/9/26
- Anja Sophia Crooks
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
 Rocky Mountain Columbines Dear Restore the Balance Community, Last week, we focused on the caucus and how to get involved in the party process. This week, we're looking at a piece of federal legislation that could affect whether millions of Americans are able to vote at all: the SAVE America Act. |
Topic of the Week: The SAVE Act & Your Right to Vote First, a baseline fact: there is no credible evidence of widespread voter fraud in U.S. elections, including the 2020 presidential election. Multiple studies and audits across the country have found that non-citizen voting occurs at a rate of less than 0.003% of all votes cast; a rate so rare as to be statistically inconsequential. Voter fraud is already illegal, and each state already has processes in place to ensure only eligible citizens vote. Despite this, the SAVE America Act, which passed the House last year, is now heading to the Senate. Here's what it would actually do: Photo ID required for in-person voting. Acceptable IDs would include U.S. passports, driver's licenses, state IDs, military IDs, and tribal IDs. Photo ID required for absentee voting. Voters would need to include a copy of an eligible photo ID both when requesting and submitting an absentee ballot. State voter rolls turned over to the DHS SAVE database. This database has documented inaccuracies and inadequate privacy protections. The bill would also allow federal agencies to share private voter information with one another and with the heads of federal departments. Criminal penalties for election workers. Workers could face imprisonment for mistakenly registering a voter without proof of citizenship, even if that person is a U.S. citizen. How many lawful voters could be blocked from voting if this becomes law? Some estimates put that number as high as 20 million people, including millions of women who changed their names after marriage or since they last voted. Kansas provides a telling example of how this plays out in practice. Before a similar law took effect there, non-citizen registration accounted for about 0.002% of registered voters. After the documentary proof requirement was adopted, roughly 31,000 eligible citizens, 12% of all applicants, were prevented from registering. The law blocked far more citizens than non-citizens. We will continue to monitor the SAVE Act's progress in the Senate. In the meantime, here are some resources for further reading: |
On the Radar: Local Government Meetings
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Upcoming Events March 11 — "Will the Midterms Be Free and Fair?" | 4:00–5:00 p.m. ET | Free Zoom Renowned constitutional scholar Larry Tribe and veteran political journalist John Heilemann join The Common Good Forum to discuss whether the nation is veering toward autocracy and what it will take for the 2026 elections to be free and fair. RSVP here March 18 — RTB Social Hour | 4:30–6:30 p.m. Feisty Pint, 359 Colorado Ave., Grand Junction Courageous Colorado will be there! Come meet them! March 18 — RMPBS Mini-Film Fest: First-come, first-served seating. Sandwiches, salads, and drinks provided. April 1 — RMPBS Make a Circle | 5:30–8:30 p.m. Central Library, Mesa County Libraries. Make a Circle is a documentary following childcare providers fighting to change how society values early education, and a rallying cry for a childcare system in crisis. After the film, stay for a community conversation about childhood, community care, and the futures we're building together. Free, with sandwiches, salads & drinks provided. First-come, first-served seating. Part of Rocky Mountain PBS's Above the Noise: Everyday Democracy series. April 4 — "We the People: A Program on Defending the Constitution" | 1:00–3:00 p.m. CMU University Center Ballroom A panel discussion on the American Constitution and the role of government today, featuring Glenn Whitaker (former Special Litigation Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice), Christi Hein (Lecturer of Political Science at CMU & Executive Director of the 1791 Project), and Beth Hendrix (Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Colorado), moderated by Tim Casey (Professor of Political Science). Co-sponsored by RTB, the League of Women Voters, the CMU Poli-Sci Club, the CMU Free Speech Club, and the Western Colorado Alliance. [Register here — link coming soon] April 21 — RTB Roundtable: Healthcare | 7:00–9:00 p.m. Redlands Community Center. Details and registration coming in next week's email. Save the date! |
RTB Member InsightsHere are some recommendations from our members:
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Thank you to all who have submitted photos, podcasts, and video recommendations. We will publish a recommendation in each category every week. Please keep them coming! Want to Contribute to Our Weekly Newsletter? Our best recommendations come from you! Have you read a thought-provoking book? Listened to an insightful podcast? Found an article worth sharing? Captured a beautiful photo of Western Colorado? We want to feature your discoveries and perspectives in our Monday Update. You can share resources, suggest topics you'd like RTB to address, or submit photos from around our community. All submissions can be anonymous or attributed to you; it's your choice. Submit your recommendations here Let's learn from each other and build a more informed community together.Don't forget to vote in 2026: June primaries, November general. |
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