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The SAVE America Act, a Republican-backed election bill pending in Congress, would impose new federal requirements on voter registration and voting in federal elections. Supporters frame the measure as a way to prevent noncitizens from voting — something that has long been illegal under federal law. A closer look at the legislation shows it would instead fundamentally reshape how eligible U.S. citizens register and cast ballots.
Below is what the bill would do if enacted, based on the text of the legislation and existing election law.
What is the SAVE America Act?
The SAVE America Act is an expanded version of earlier proposals known as the SAVE Act, short for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. Republican lawmakers have introduced versions of the bill in both the House and Senate, but it has not become law.
The legislation targets federal elections and would override many current state practices by imposing nationwide standards for voter registration, voter identification and voter roll maintenance.
Proof of citizenship to register
Under current federal law, people registering to vote must affirm under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens. States may verify eligibility through government databases, but federal law does not require applicants to submit documentary proof of citizenship.
The SAVE America Act would change that. It would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship before registering to vote in federal elections.
In practice, that means prospective voters would need to present documents such as a U.S. passport or a birth certificate. Common forms of identification — including most driver’s licenses, even REAL ID–compliant licenses — do not establish citizenship on their own.
Because the bill requires document verification rather than sworn affirmation, registration methods that do not involve in-person review — including online registration, mail-in registration and many voter registration drives — would become difficult or impossible to use.
New federal voter ID requirement
The bill would also require voters to present an approved photo identification when casting a ballot in federal elections.
That provision would establish a nationwide voter ID mandate, superseding state laws that currently allow voting without photo identification or that permit alternatives such as signed affidavits.
Mandatory voter roll checks and removals
The SAVE America Act would direct states to more aggressively review voter registration rolls to identify and remove noncitizens.
Noncitizens are already prohibited from voting in federal elections, and documented instances of noncitizen voting are rare. The bill does not change that underlying prohibition. Instead, it expands administrative requirements for states to cross-check voter rolls against citizenship databases.
Voting rights advocates warn that such processes can result in eligible voters being mistakenly flagged or removed, particularly when government databases are incomplete, outdated or contain errors.
What the bill does not do
The SAVE America Act does not create a new ban on noncitizen voting. That ban has existed under federal law for decades.
It also does not amend the Constitution or explicitly revoke any citizen’s right to vote. Instead, it conditions access to voter registration and ballot casting on compliance with new documentation and identification requirements.
Practical effects
Election law experts say the practical effect of the SAVE America Act would be to shift the burden of proving eligibility from election officials to individual voters.
Millions of U.S. citizens do not possess passports, and many do not have immediate access to birth certificates or other citizenship documents. Replacing lost or damaged records can take time and money, particularly for older voters, people born outside hospitals, and individuals affected by housing instability or natural disasters.
States would also face increased administrative costs to implement document verification systems and conduct expanded voter roll reviews.
The bottom line
While framed as an election security measure, the SAVE America Act would significantly alter how Americans register and vote in federal elections. Its primary impact would be the creation of new procedural barriers for eligible citizens — not a change to who is legally allowed to vote.
The bill has drawn sharp opposition from Democrats and voting rights groups and has not advanced into law.
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