GOP Push For SAVE Act Sparks Warnings Of Disenfranchisement
Republicans advanced the SAVE Act to require documentary proof of citizenship and photo ID, while probes show the federal SAVE tool flagged about 760 people in Idaho and misflagged voters elsewhere.
Overview
The House approved the SAVE Act, and the bill recently gained its 50th Republican co-sponsor in the Senate to require documentary proof of citizenship and photo ID for federal elections.
Polls from 2024 showed support for requiring proof of citizenship to register ranged from 67% to 83%.
Civil-rights groups and Democrats warn the SAVE Act could disenfranchise millions, citing estimates that about 21 million Americans lack easy access to documentary proof of citizenship and 2.6 million lack any form of photo ID.
Investigations found the federal SAVE verification tool has incorrectly flagged voters, and some states used those flags to make people temporarily unable to vote.
Senate consideration faces a 60-vote filibuster threshold while Republicans control 53 seats and have secured at least 50 votes, leaving passage uncertain.
Analysis
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Sources (3)
FAQ
The SAVE Act accepts several forms of documentary proof of citizenship, including a birth certificate, U.S. passport, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Citizenship, Naturalization Certificate, and government-issued photo identification indicating place of birth in the United States, such as a REAL ID or military identification card.[4] The bill also allows states to establish alternative processes for applicants to submit other evidence demonstrating U.S. citizenship.[2]
According to a 2023 SSRS survey, approximately 9% of voting-age citizens lack easy access to documents proving citizenship.[1] Civil-rights groups estimate that about 21 million Americans lack easy access to documentary proof of citizenship, and approximately 2.6 million lack any form of photo ID that would be required to vote under the act.
Election officials have raised concerns about the lack of time and resources needed to implement the act before the 2026 midterm elections. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows noted that officials would need to "create training from scratch" and lack the personnel to ensure uniform citizenship verification across all municipalities.[1] The bill's provisions would take effect immediately upon enactment, leaving election administrators little time to build entirely new procedures and train staff.
Investigations have found that the federal SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) database verification tool has incorrectly flagged voters, with some states using those flags to temporarily prevent eligible voters from voting.[1][5] The story notes the tool flagged approximately 760 people in Idaho and misflagged voters in other states, raising concerns about the reliability of using this system to remove individuals from voter rolls.
The House passed the SAVE Act, and the bill has secured at least 50 Republican co-sponsors in the Senate, where Republicans control 53 seats.[1][5] However, the bill faces a 60-vote filibuster threshold for passage, meaning it would need support from at least 7 Democrats to advance, making its passage uncertain despite Republican backing.
History
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