The SAVE Act: Protecting Elections or Blocking Voters? What You Need to Know

Mar 6

Cliffnotes: The SAVE Act is a proposed bill aimed at tightening voter registration requirements by mandating in-person proof of U.S. citizenship through documents such as a passport or birth certificate. While the administration argues this is necessary to protect election integrity, critics highlight the potential disenfranchisement of millions of eligible voters, including women who have changed their names, naturalized citizens, transgender individuals, and those in rural areas. The bill would eliminate mail and online voter registration, require additional documentation for name changes, and increase voter roll purges, raising concerns about accessibility and fairness. With noncitizen voting proven to be extremely rare, the key question remains: Does this bill solve a real problem, or does it create more obstacles for American voters?

FAQ: What You Need to Know About the SAVE Act

The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives and has been referred to the Committee on House Administration. If it passes the House, it will move to the Senate for consideration, and if approved, it would need to be signed by the President to become law.
The SAVE Act restricts voter registration, not actual voting. However, by making it harder to register, it will affect voter turnout and the ability to vote.
Yes. The bill requires in-person proof of citizenship, which could make it impossible for Americans abroad—including military personnel—to register or update their voter registration.
Yes. If a person’s proof of citizenship does not match their current name, they would need to provide multiple legal documents (e.g., marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.), potentially making voter registration more difficult.
Not unless it’s an Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL), which only five states issue. Standard licenses and even REAL ID-compliant IDs would not be enough.
Yes. Federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in U.S. elections, and penalties include fines, prison, and deportation. There is no evidence of widespread noncitizen voting that would justify these additional restrictions.
Yes. The bill includes criminal penalties for election workers who register a voter without proper documentation—even if the person is actually a U.S. citizen.
Yes. The bill mandates that states conduct frequent voter roll purges, which have a history of mistakenly removing eligible voters from the rolls.
A voter purge is the process by which election officials remove names from voter registration rolls, typically to maintain accuracy and prevent fraud. While purges can help keep records up to date, they can also wrongfully remove eligible voters, often due to outdated or incorrect data.
Common Reasons for Voter Purges:
- Death or Relocation – Removing voters who have moved out of state or passed away.
- Duplicate Registrations – Eliminating multiple entries for the same person.
- Inactivity – Some states remove voters who have not participated in recent elections, even if they remain eligible.
- Noncitizen Status – Under laws like the SAVE Act, states would be required to purge suspected noncitizens, which can result in errors and wrongful removals.
Why Are Voter Purges Controversial?
- Errors & Mismatches – Some purges rely on flawed databases, leading to legitimate voters being removed.
- Disproportionate Impact – Studies show that people of color, low-income voters, and elderly individuals are more likely to be mistakenly purged.
- Limited Notification – Many voters don’t realize they’ve been purged until they try to vote, often with little time to fix the issue.
How to Protect Yourself from a Voter Purge
- Check Your Registration – Regularly confirm your voter status through your state’s election office.
- Re-register if Needed – If your name was removed, re-register before your state’s deadline.
- Stay Informed – Know your state’s voter purge policies and your rights.

Breaking It Down: What Does the SAVE Act Do?

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act is a bill introduced in the 119th Congress (2025) that proposes new requirements for voter registration. The primary goal, as stated by the administration, is to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote in federal elections. However, the legislation has sparked debate due to its potential impact on the voter registration process, particularly for those who lack specific documentation or who have changed their names due to marriage or other legal reasons. The SAVE Act (H.R. 22) bill specifies that a voter must present a government-issued ID that matches a document proving U.S. citizenship (such as a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate).

The SAVE Act would require all Americans to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote or updating their voter registration. The bill would drastically change how voter registration works in the U.S. by:

Eliminating mail-in voter registration unless the applicant presents proof in person before the deadline.
Ending online voter registration immediately in all 42 states that currently offer it.
Banning voter registration drives, a major tool for civic engagement and increasing voter turnout.
Requiring original documentation—such as a passport, birth certificate, or an enhanced driver’s license (which only five states issue)—as proof of citizenship.
Preventing Americans from simply updating their voter registration (e.g., for a name or address change) without providing proof in person.

This proposal, while aimed at increasing election security, raises concerns about accessibility and disenfranchisement, especially for certain groups such as women who have changed their names after marriage, elderly individuals, and those living in rural areas.

Potential Issue for Women (and Others) Who Changed Their Names:

Quick facts:

• If a woman’s birth certificate (or other proof of citizenship) does not match the name on her current government-issued ID (due to marriage, divorce, or other legal name changes), she may face difficulty registering or verifying her voter eligibility.

• The bill does not explicitly mention allowing supporting documents like marriage certificates or court orders for name changes to be used in verification.

• If states interpret the law strictly, women who changed their names after marriage could be required to provide additional legal documents—such as a marriage certificate or name change decree—which could make the registration process more burdensome.

Under the SAVE Act, if a woman who has changed her name is already a registered voter, she would not be required to show proof of citizenship just to vote in an upcoming election. However, the bill could impact her in the following ways:

If She Needs to Update Her Registration (Name or Address Change)

If she moves, changes her name (due to marriage, divorce, etc.), or wants to update her voter registration information, she would need to re-register in person with documentary proof of U.S. citizenship (e.g., birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate).
If the name on her proof of citizenship does not match her current legal name, she may also need to provide supporting documents like a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order for a legal name change.

If She Needs to Update Her Registration (Name or Address Change)If Her Voter Registration Is Flagged for Verification

The SAVE Act requires states to regularly purge voter rolls to remove noncitizens.
If a state cannot verify her citizenship status (for example, if there is a data mismatch), she could be required to provide proof of citizenship before being allowed to vote.

If She Votes by Mail in the Future

If she is already registered, she can continue voting by mail unless she needs to update her voter information.
However, if her registration is flagged, she may need to re-register in person before being allowed to vote absentee.

The SAVE Act’s strict name-matching requirements could create significant barriers for individuals whose legal names have changed over time:

Transgender Individuals – Those who have legally changed their names may face registration challenges if their proof of citizenship (e.g., birth certificate) does not match their current ID. They may be required to provide additional legal documents, adding hurdles to the process.
Adopted Individuals – If an adopted person's birth certificate reflects a different name than their legal ID, they may need extra documentation to prove their identity, making voter registration more complicated.
Naturalized Citizens Who Changed Their Name – Immigrants who changed their names during the naturalization process could be forced to provide multiple documents to verify both their citizenship and name change, potentially delaying or preventing registration.

These added requirements could disproportionately affect these groups, making it harder for them to vote, even though they are U.S. citizens.

Bottom line:

If a woman is already registered under her current legal name and does not need to update her voter registration, she should be able to vote without additional proof of citizenship.
If she moves, changes her name, or is flagged for verification, she would need to provide proof of citizenship before being able to update her registration and vote.
The risk of being flagged or removed from voter rolls increases under the SAVE Act due to required voter roll purges.

The Administration’s Perspective: Why This Is Necessary

The administration argues that the SAVE Act is necessary to protect the integrity of U.S. elections by ensuring that only citizens can register to vote. Their concerns stem from fears of noncitizen voting, though data suggests that documented cases of noncitizen voting are extremely rare.

From this perspective, the bill is seen as a preventative measure to close potential loopholes in the system. The argument is that requiring documentary proof upfront would eliminate the risk of ineligible individuals getting on voter rolls. While fraud prevention is a legitimate concern, the question remains: Is the issue of noncitizen voting widespread enough to justify these restrictions?

Does This Address a Real Problem? The Data on Noncitizen Voting

How often does noncitizen voting actually happen?

According to various studies, voter fraud—including noncitizen voting—is extremely rare. The Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan organization, found that between 2000 and 2014, the rate of noncitizen voting in U.S. elections was between 0.0003% and 0.0001%.
In Texas, state officials have only prosecuted a handful of cases over several decades.

If noncitizen voting is already a felony—with significant penalties including fines and deportation—why aren’t more people being prosecuted? The lack of widespread prosecutions suggests that this is not a major problem in our elections.

While instances of noncitizen voting have occurred in Texas, comprehensive studies and official records indicate that such cases are exceedingly rare and do not constitute widespread voter fraud.

Concerns About the SAVE Act

According to The Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan policy institute, the SAVE Act could disenfranchise millions of voters.

140 million Americans do not have a passport.
69 million women who changed their name after marriage may not have a birth certificate matching their current legal name.
More than 60 million people live in rural areas, where access to in-person election offices is limited.

The Campaign Legal Center (CLC), another nonpartisan legal organization, also raises concerns about the bill, saying it would:

Eliminate mail registration and make online voter registration systems unworkable.
Increase the risk of wrongful voter purges, leading to the disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
Impose criminal penalties on election workers, potentially deterring people from serving in these vital roles.

What Questions Should We Be Asking?

The SAVE Act raises important questions about election security versus voter access. As this bill moves through Congress, we should be asking:

Is there enough evidence of noncitizen voting to justify these changes?
Will this bill disproportionately impact certain groups, such as women, rural voters, and military personnel?
Are we making it harder for citizens to vote while solving a problem that barely exists?

Our democracy functions best when all eligible voices are heard, and voter registration remains accessible to every American citizen. Why would we want to make it more difficult for our voices to be heard?

This isn’t about party politics—it’s about the rights of all Americans. I encourage you to look beyond political affiliations and consider what Secretary Benson has to say.