The “SAVE Act” Is A Voter Suppression Bill. We Oppose It.
Young people tell us all the time that they feel like no one is talking to them about important public issues that will impact them. Without trusted messengers, it can be hard for them to appreciate why voting is important or the roles elected officials are playing in their lives.
So for teens or friends and family of teens who may be reading this: a bill called the SAVE Act is coming. It’s being fast-tracked in Congress, and if it passes and is signed into law, it will stop millions of young Americans from registering to vote because they won’t have access to a narrow list of ID documents that the new law will require. The fast track in the House means there will only be one hour of debate, and no amendments will be allowed.
What is the SAVE Act?
So what exactly is the SAVE Act? “SAVE” stands for “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility,” but it should stand for “Stymie American Voter Engagement,” because that’s what its effect will be.
If enacted, all Americans will have to present “documentary proof of citizenship” to register to vote in federal elections, but the list of documents is so narrow that millions of Americans, especially young people who are just now coming of age, will be disenfranchised. In most cases, a passport or a certified copy of their birth certificate will be required.
Think back to when you were turning 18. Did you have a passport? Did you bring a certified copy of your birth certificate with you when you started college and perhaps registered to vote for the first time? I’m guessing many readers did not. Millions of teens today don’t have these documents at the ready, either, and they are the ones who will be locked out.
Married women also will be disproportionately impacted. About 8/10 change their name when they marry, so their birth certificates won’t help them if they don’t have a passport.
The bill is also totally unnecessary. It is already illegal to register to vote in federal elections if you are not a citizen. To satisfy the requirement, you need to make a sworn statement, under penalty of perjury, that you are a US citizen, and there are criminal penalties for violations. States have systems in place to verify the eligibility of voters. With these safeguards already in place, there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Remember, the majority will not allow any amendments to the bill in the House, so if the problems noted above were somehow unintentional, there is no chance to fix them at this stage.
Here are some of the major challenges the bill will create:
More than half of American citizens - 150 million citizens - do not have a passport.
Four million young people turn 18 every year - 8 million in each federal election cycle, and the vast majority of them are not yet registered to vote. Only 53% of US youth (18-29) have a passport. The rate is likely lower for the youngest among them (18- & 19-year-olds, for example).
Many Americans, including many youth, do not have ready access to their birth certificates.
8 out of 10 married women change their names, and therefore their birth certificates would not help them to register under the SAVE Act.
The SAVE Act includes misleading language stating that a “form of identification issued consistent with the requirements of the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United States.” would qualify as documentary proof of citizenship. However, ID cards issued pursuant to the REAL ID Act don’t actually say whether someone is a citizen, and noncitizen residents who are in the country legally can get IDs that qualify under the REAL ID Act. So, the typical REAL ID driver’s license alone would not satisfy the requirements of the SAVE Act.
Today, state online and mail-in systems for voter registration work well. But the SAVE Act would weigh down state elections offices with burdensome federal mandates that present unnecessary expenses for states and barriers for citizens.
Let’s take a moment to reinforce some basics. Instead of making it harder for people to register and vote, our elected officials should be doing the opposite, welcoming all Americans to participate in our democracy. Our democracy works best when everyone has a voice, when we remove unnecessary obstacles, and we approach one another with dignity and respect.
The SAVE Act is one example of how far some of our leaders have strayed from these ideals.
If you, like I do, feel the need to counter this trend, read on for some ideas:
For everyone who is eligible to register and who is not yet registered, register now. That includes the more than 5 million 16- and 17-year-olds who are old enough to register or preregister today but have not yet done so. The SAVE Act will go into effect immediately upon enactment if it does get enacted. So better to get in now. Parents, please tell your teens. You can help them with voter registration the same way you help them with myriad other aspects of adulting. And while you are at it, if you don’t have a passport or if it’s about to expire, go ahead and take care of that now. We can all forecast the announcements of unavoidable delays in passport processing due to a glut of applications as Election Day 2026 approaches, and this law passes in the meanwhile.
Send a message to your Member of Congress and Senators to oppose the SAVE Act. We have a handy form here, which will do so automatically when you sign.
Tell your friends about what’s happening, and ask them to take the same actions. This bill has received little coverage in the MSM, and your friends will appreciate the heads up.
For our readers who like primary sources:
SAVE Act (from the 118th Congress)
House Rules package for the 119th Congress (SAVE Act is third from the bottom on page 8)
Rep. Chip Roy's one-pager on the bill is here
Rep. Joseph Morelle, ranking Democratic member of the Committee on House Administration one-pager is here, with a Section-by-Section guide here.