Is SLO County using public resources to promote Democratic talking points?

April 8, 2026

SLO County Clerk Recorder Elaina Cano

By KAREN VELIE

While the SAVE Act was moving through the legislative process, the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder’s Office posted a statement that appears to parrot Democratic talking  points leading some to question if the county violated laws against using public resources to disparage or promote proposed legislation.

It is unlawful in California “for any elected state or local officer, including any state or local appointee, employee, or consultant, to use or permit others to use public resources for a campaign activity.” The clerk-recorder’s statement focuses on Democratic talking points while leaving out Republican arguments.

While several local attorneys found the clerk-recorder’s statement legally questionable, SLO County Counsel Jon Ansolabehere disagrees.

“Our office reviewed the statement issued by the Clerk Recorder’s Office,” Ansolabehere said. “The statement is an impartial FAQ regarding the proposed SAVE Act and is not advocacy.”

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE Act, is a bill to require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.

The SLO County Clerk Recorder’s Office’s statement by Erin Clausen: “What Does the Proposed SAVE Act Mean, Exactly, for SLO County Voters?”

“With the SAVE Act in the national news this week, many SLO County voters have asked how it might impact them. The Clerk-Recorder has provided some clarity on the proposed legislation.

“With the SAVE Act featuring prominently in the news, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office has been fielding many questions from local voters about how it might impact them. In an effort to provide clarity to as many as possible, we’re sharing this recent exchange regarding the proposed legislation.

“Question: What are the requirements for individuals who are registered to vote – can you confirm that all they need is to show photo ID under the SAVE act? Further what is the process for someone who needs to re-register due to a name change or a new address, under the SAVE act?

“Response: These really are important questions, and there’s a bit of confusion out there, so we do appreciate you asking them.

“The proposed SAVE Act would not just require showing a photo ID to vote. It goes further than that.

“For voting itself, yes—voters would generally be required to show a government-issued photo ID when casting a ballot.

“But the bigger change is around voter registration. Under the proposal, people would need to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship—like a passport or birth certificate—when they register to vote. A standard driver’s license typically wouldn’t be enough on its own, since it doesn’t prove citizenship. (This is where the “But I have to show my ID to buy a beer or do X/Y/Z and this would just be the same thing” argument does not apply.)

“That requirement would also apply if someone needs to update their registration, like after a name change or moving to a new address. In those cases, they would generally have to submit a new registration and provide proof of citizenship again.

“Also important: Under the proposed SAVE Act, the requirement to show documentary proof of citizenship would generally need to be done in person. That’s because the bill would require election officials to verify original citizenship documents (like a passport or birth certificate) as part of the voter registration process. In practice, that would significantly limit or eliminate the ability to register or update your registration entirely online or by mail, unless the state creates a compliant verification system.

“Another key point: It also means local elections officials would be responsible for verifying the validity of birth certificates from 50 different states plus territories/military bases/etc. And to our knowledge, there is no allocation in the legislation of financial resources for additional staff or training.

“So, for many people—especially those registering for the first time or re-registering after a move or name change—it would likely mean going in person with those documents. As you can probably imagine, this would be a huge hurdle for many people with disabilities, work requirements, or caregiving responsibilities, among other things.

“What if I’m already registered to vote? If you’re already registered to vote, the SAVE Act does not explicitly require every current voter to immediately re-register from scratch just to vote in the next election.

However, there are two important caveats: The bill focuses heavily on voter registration, requiring documentary proof of citizenship (like a passport or birth certificate) any time someone registers. That requirement would also apply whenever a voter updates their registration—for example, after a move, name change, or even sometimes a party change.

“In practical terms: If your registration stays exactly the same, you likely would not need to re-register immediately. “But if you need to update anything, you would generally have to re-register and provide proof of citizenship at that point.

“There’s also some broader debate and uncertainty about implementation. Some analyses suggest the system could end up requiring many voters to re-submit documentation over time, depending on how states verify existing records.

“Importantly, this is all based on the proposed legislation; it hasn’t been enacted into law, so current registration options (including online and mail) are still in place today. As your local elections office, we’re operating under current law as we prepare for the June primary and the November general elections. We will be sure to let our voters know immediately if anything does change.”

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