Opinion: Who could the SAVE America Act block from voting? Eligible Alaskans, including me I am a U.S. citizen, an Alaskan, and a registered voter who has participated in local, state, and federal elections for over five decades. However, if the SAVE America Act becomes law without being overturned, I could be denied the right to vote in the 2026 federal primary or general election. Several years ago, I legally combined my last name with my wife’s to create a new family surname. To update my records, I submitted my Ohio birth certificate, Social Security card, and Alaska marriage certificate to the Social Security Administration. I received a revised Social Security record in my new name, obtained a new Alaska driver’s license, and updated my voter registration. Despite these steps, my Alaska driver’s license does not confirm citizenship, my birth certificate does not reflect my new name, and my marriage certificate does not show the surname change, as it occurred after our wedding. I hold a passport, which I first received at age 15 as a Rotary exchange student and have renewed multiple times. However, it still lists my original name. I also have a Global Entry card for TSA PreCheck. After my name change, I followed the State Department’s instructions to update my passport information, uploading the same documents I provided to the Social Security Administration. When my Global Entry card expired, I attempted to renew it using my new legal name, but both applications were rejected due to a mismatch between my passport and new name. I then visited the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to meet with Customs and Border Protection staff, who advised me to renew my Global Entry card using my old name, which I did.#save_america_act #alaska #john_stainerhain #customs_border_protection #anchorage_school_board
