What Does Olive Garden’s Never-Ending Pasta Have to Do With Voting Rights?

Key Points:

• Republican Congressman Steve Scalise claimed Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta deal is more secure than U.S. elections, using it to support the controversial SAVE Act requiring strict voter ID.
• Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta Pass, relaunched on July 16, now requires photo ID matching the personalized, non-transferable pass to prevent misuse, though staff remain uncertain about the system.
• The SAVE Act would impose stringent ID requirements for voting, including a passport or certified birth certificate with photo ID, and could severely restrict voter registration options and participation.
• Voting rights experts and some Republicans, like Senator Lisa Murkowski, warn the SAVE Act would disproportionately hinder voting access, especially in rural and remote areas like Alaska.
• Despite claims of election fraud, experts agree widespread fraud is not a current issue, and the SAVE Act is seen as a politically motivated measure that could suppress voter turnout ahead of midterms.