The SAVE Act
Understanding Its Impact on Voting Rights
What is the SAVE Act?
The SAVE Act (H.R. 22) is legislation that passed the House of Representatives on April 10, 2025, by a vote of 220-208, with all Republicans and four Democrats voting in favor. It now awaits consideration in the Senate. The bill would significantly change how Americans register to vote in federal elections.
Key Requirements and Provisions
The bill prohibits states from accepting and processing voter registration applications unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. Acceptable documents include identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship.
This is not merely a voter ID law, but rather what experts call a "show-your-papers law" requiring original proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, every time someone registers or re-registers to vote.
Who Proposed It and Why?
The bill was introduced by Representative Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas's 21st congressional district. Republicans have pursued the SAVE Act under the guise of preventing noncitizens from voting, which they portray as an existential threat to the American electoral system.
The legislation was introduced in response to fears about voter fraud, though research has consistently shown that such incidents are exceedingly rare and not a significant factor in American elections.
Strategic Aims
The strategic aims behind the SAVE Act appear to include:
Officially: To prevent non-citizens from voting in federal elections (though this is already illegal)
According to critics: To create unnecessary barriers to registering to vote in every state, effectively ending online, automatic, and mail-in voter registration.
The bill would require voters to provide documentation that many don't have. More than 21 million Americans are unable to access the additional documents that would be required to register to vote under the SAVE Act. What You Need to Know About the SAVE Act | Campaign Legal Center
Consequences of Implementation
If the SAVE Act were to become law, it would have several major consequences:
For married women: For as many as 69 million American women who have taken on their spouse's name, their birth certificates no longer match the names they use today. This could make it difficult for them to prove citizenship.
For voter registration: The SAVE Act would effectively end all third-party voter registration drives since election officials must review the proof of citizenship, and no allowance is made for copies. It would also undermine online registration systems used in 42 states.
For rural voters: People who live in remote areas, "10, 20, 50, 100 miles away from the closest election official," would face significant burdens to register.
For election officials: Under the SAVE Act, election workers could go to prison for up to five years if they help register somebody without the correct documents, even if the registered voter is a citizen.
Current Status
The bill appears to face long odds in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes to overcome an expected Democratic filibuster. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) has stated: "I am leading the fight in the Senate to push back against this effort to disrupt our already safe and secure elections. This bill cannot pass the Senate — and I will fight every step of the way to block it."