Four House Democrats joined Republicans in passing a bill Thursday that would require people to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, would codify President Donald Trump’s executive order requiring proof of U.S. citizenship on voter registration forms.
The bill would also necessitate in-person voter registration for federal elections and require states to remove all noncitizens from their voter rolls.
“In America, you can’t drive a car, board a plane, or buy fireworks without an ID proving you are who you say you are. So why are folks allowed to vote to decide the future of this country without proving they are a citizen first?” Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., told lawmakers Thursday. “It’s common sense that only American citizens should be able to vote in American elections.”
The 220-208 vote saw all Democrats except Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine; Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.; Henry Cuellar, D-Texas; and Ed Case, D-Hawaii; vote against the bill.
Democrats have called the legislation an act of voter suppression, saying that federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting and the SAVE Act will simply make it harder for veterans, the disabled, minorities, and women who change their last names to register to vote.
Under the legislation, people would not be able to register to vote with only their driver license because REAL ID is available to noncitizens.
“This bill is voter suppression, pure and simple. It’s brought to us under the guise of stopping illegal voting,” Rep. George Latimer, D-N.Y., said. “But this is an opportunity for this majority to try to impose their will on the states that they don’t already control.”
Republicans deny accusations of voter suppression, calling the legislation a “common sense” step that will increase election security.
“Folks, read the bill, page fourteen – if you are registering to vote, there is a process by which the states establish. If you are already registered to vote, you are fine,” Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., told lawmakers Thursday. “Read the bill. Stop insulting women.”
The legislation responds to dozens of states finding noncitizens had cast a vote in the 2024 federal election or removing thousands, sometimes millions, of noncitizens on their voter rolls.
At least seven Democratic votes in the Senate are needed for the SAVE Act to become law, an unlikely outcome.
