But Pence also made claims about what happened in the 2020 election. Most notably, he claimed that the election involved “significant irregularities in voting”.
Unlike Trump, Pence did not say the election involved significant “fraud”. But he exposed the absurd claim of “voting irregularities” to readers in support of Trump’s fraudulent lies.
Pence’s claims about HR1
Voter identification
Pence claimed that under the bill, “voter ID would be banned from coast to coast.”
First facts: This is wrong. The bill does not prohibit states from requiring voter identification. Instead, states are required to allow voters who do not show IDs to submit signed statements to prove their identities and eligibility to vote.
Undocumented Immigrants and Voting
Pence suggested the bill would allow undocumented immigrants to register to vote. In particular, he claimed that by requiring automatic voter registration for anyone listed in state and federal government databases, such as the welfare offices of the Department of Motor and Vehicle, the bill would “ensure” millions of illegal immigrants register to vote quickly. “
First facts: This is wrong. The bill does not change current law that prohibits people who are not citizens of the United States, including non-translated immigrants, from voting in federal elections. The bill clarifies that people still have to confirm that they are U.S. citizens before they can be added to the voters’ list. It also says government agencies involved in the process only have to inform U.S. citizens that they will register to vote unless they choose to do so. And he says agencies tell state election officials not just the names of people, but “information that the person is a citizen of the United States.”
Regardless: Pence was wrong to suggest that “any person” listed in government databases would be registered to vote regardless of their citizenship status.
Deadline for mail-in ballet
“States must count every mail-in vote received within 10 days after election day,” Pence wrote.
First facts: This is misleading in the best way. The bill requires states to accept mail-in ballots that arrive 10 days after election day, if only these ballots are sent on or before election day. Ballot mailed after election day will not be counted even if it arrives 10 days before the deadline.
Sarah Brennan, managing attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union’s voting rights project, said the proposal would not allow individuals to vote after election day and would help count all valid ballots regardless of postal delays beyond voter control. Said in an email.
Voting by those previously imprisoned
Pence wrote that passing the bill would mean “being able to vote at a time when he will set foot outside the prison.”
First facts: This is true. Under the bill, those who have committed crimes will be allowed to vote in federal elections until they are currently imprisoned.
“Those who have completed a sentence for a serious crime will have the right to vote in federal elections after they are released from custody or receive a probationary sentence,” said Matthew Will, director of the election project at the Bipartisan Policy Center’s think tank. Email. “States will have to inform these individuals of their re-suffrage.”
In a bipartisan vote this week, the House voted 328 to 97 to defeat the reforms made by the Progressive Democrats, who are still in detention, to extend their federal voting rights.
“Universal” mail-in ballet
Pence claimed that “the bill would force states to adopt a universal mail-in ballot.”
First facts: The accuracy of this claim depends on how you define the phrase “universal mail-in ballot”. In particular, it is only accurate if you define this sentence differently than what Trump himself appeared to define during the 2020 campaign.
The Democrats bill does not require states to send ballots that voters do not explicitly request. Instead, the bill requires states to give all voters the option to request a mail-in ballot without an excuse.
“HR1 will require a non-exclusive absentee voting process for all federal elections. This is different from what some call a ‘universal mail-in ballot,'” said Will of the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Redistribution
Under the bill, Pence said, “congressional districts will be recreated by unscrupulous, unaccountable bureaucrats.”
What constitutes an “unaccounted bureaucrat” is for discussion, but commissions are not created to be filled by government employees as Pence’s language suggests. Members of the public may apply; Political advisers, lobbyists and government contractors will be banned.
Undocumented Immigrants and Representation
Under the bill, “illegal immigrants and law-abiding American citizens will have equal representation in Congress,” Pence said.
Weiner of the Brennan Center said Pence was “taking a realistic approach to something new and worse.”
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