# The SAVE Act: What You Need to Know About Voter Registration Requirements

The SAVE Act would require anyone registering to vote in federal elections to provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Right now, voter registration happens through various methods—online, by mail, at the DMV, or through voter registration agencies—and while people must declare they're citizens, they don't always have to show physical proof at the time they register. This bill would change that by making citizenship documentation mandatory for all federal election voter registration.

Here's what would actually change: If you want to register to vote in elections for president, Congress, or other federal offices, you'd need to present documents like a passport, birth certificate, military ID, or a state ID that shows your place of birth. For mail-in registration, you'd have to bring your proof of citizenship in person to an election official before the registration deadline, or bring it to the polling place on election day if your state allows same-day registration. States would also be required to cross-check their voter rolls against federal databases from the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to identify and remove people who aren't citizens.

The bill creates some flexibility for people who can't produce standard citizenship documents. If you can't provide the typical proof, you could sign a statement under penalty of perjury that you're a citizen and submit other evidence—like old documents or records—for an election official to review. However, this alternative process would be more complicated and time-consuming than simply presenting standard documentation upfront.

For election officials and states, this means significant new work. They'd need to establish verification systems, train staff on the new requirements, and manage the process of checking citizenship status. The bill also creates potential legal consequences: election officials who register someone without proper citizenship proof could face lawsuits or criminal charges, and people who knowingly register while ineligible could face immigration proceedings or criminal penalties.

SAVE Act

Roy, Chip

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE ActThis bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship.Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by specified sources.Additionally, the bill requires states to remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters.The bill allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.The bill also establishes criminal penalties for registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.The Election Assistance Commission must, within 10 days, adopt and transmit guidance for implementing the bill's requirements to chief state election officials.