What is the SAVE Act, and how would it block eligible US citizens from voting?
By Erin Carden
The SAVE Act will make it harder for eligible Americans to vote and increase the likelihood of being wrongfully purged from state voter rolls.
By Erin Carden
The SAVE Act will make it harder for eligible Americans to vote and increase the likelihood of being wrongfully purged from state voter rolls.
The new House majority in the 119th Congress has unveiled 12 top-tier legislative priorities, including passing the Safeguard Voter Eligibility Act aka the “SAVE” Act.
Don’t be fooled by its name. This bill is BAD for democracy, not its “savior.” Under the voter suppression bill that is the SAVE Act, millions of eligible US citizens would be unable to vote.
The bill would require all Americans to present one of a short list of documents to prove their US citizenship (like a passport or birth certificate) to register to vote or update their voter registration—directly impacting people registering to vote for the first time or re-registering after a move, a name change, or a party switch.
What’s the big deal?
Doesn’t every American already have a passport or birth certificate?
The short answer is no, definitely not. And that’s why this could be one of the most destructive voter suppression bills in modern US history.
Research shows us that:
RISK OF VOTER ROLL PURGES
The SAVE Act will also increase the likelihood of being wrongfully purged from state voter rolls. The bill includes measures that would mistakenly flag lawfully registered US citizen voters as ineligible; and allow states to purge their voter rolls without notifying voters before removing them. This would mean already-registered Americans wouldn’t even know they were removed from the rolls until they showed up to vote and learned they were no longer registered.
Believe it or not, this has happened before. In a recent voter purge in Virginia based on outdated citizenship information, almost 94% of voters purged were US citizens.
Like other voter ID laws, the SAVE Act is a solution in search of a problem. Current Federal laws already have checks and balances to ensure that only US citizens register and vote. Every state requires that voters confirm their US citizenship when they register, under penalty of perjury. The existing penalties for non-US citizens who attempt to vote in federal elections are steep and severe, including criminal penalties, fines, and deportation.
The SAVE Act is not about security at the ballot box—it’s about blocking millions of Americans from voting
Most of us know someone (or maybe even ourselves) who cannot easily access a copy of their birth certificate. Perhaps it’s hidden somewhere in the house. Maybe a parent still has it. Perhaps it got lost during a move—like it did for Nicole—or someone accidentally tossed it out—which happened to Fandera. Maybe it was damaged from wear and tear or destroyed in a hurricane or a fire like the one Denesha lived through. Some Americans simply never received a birth certificate at all— especially older Black voters in the South and Indigenous Americans who were not born in a hospital.
At VoteRiders, we also know how difficult it can be to replace birth certificates and other essential ID documents. It often requires navigating bureaucracy and confusing paperwork—like Edward faced when he had to go to the DMV 20 times before he got his ID. Birth certificates and other ID documents also cost money. On average, a birth certificate copy is $50—more than 5 hours of minimum wage work in many states. Transportation is needed to get to ID-issuing offices—which many Americans, like April, don’t have reliable access to.
For some eligible voters, taking time off work or other responsibilities to stand in a long line at the DMV is simply an inconvenience. For others, it’s simply not an option they can consider when applying for an ID would mean taking a chunk out of a paycheck they depend on to shelter, feed, and clothe themselves and their families.
No one should have to make the choice between getting ID documents and meeting basic survival needs.
What can we do NOW?
The SAVE Act is expected to come to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote this month. Here’s how you can help:
Email your legislators today. Tell Congress to focus on expanding and protecting voting rights instead of making it harder for eligible US citizens to vote. Help us hold them accountable for ensuring we have an equitable electorate and a democracy that works for all of us.
Share our handy one-pager on the SAVE Act with everyone you know [here]
To build the democracy we all want and deserve, every eligible voter must have an equal opportunity to defend their future and have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. We need you now more than ever. Let’s keep showing up—together.
Looking for other ways to get involved with VoteRiders?
Erin Carden is VoteRiders’ Digital Communications Coordinator.
February 6, 2025.
