The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote this week on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a Republican-backed bill that would require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections. 

Republican leaders say the SAVE Act is essential for restoring trust in elections by ensuring only U.S. citizens can vote. But multiple studies and investigations have consistently found that voter fraud occurs at an exceptionally low rate. 

A 2012 News21 database reviewed 2,068 alleged cases of electoral fraud from 2000 to 2012, representing about 0.000003 cases per vote cast. Of these, nearly half resulted in acquittals or dropped charges. The Heritage Foundation, authors of Project 2025, which appears to be what’s behind much of the Republican party’s bills and President Trump’s executive orders, documented 1,465 proven cases of election fraud over 44 years (1979–2023), averaging about 33 cases per year. This represents a minuscule fraction of total votes cast.

In the 2020 presidential election, an Associated Press investigation found fewer than 475 potential instances of voter fraud out of more than 25 million votes cast in six states contested by former President Donald Trump. A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences debunked claims of unusually high voter turnout in counties where fraud was alleged during the 2020 election. It found no statistically significant evidence of inflated turnout due to fraud.

Over decades, voter fraud has remained exceedingly rare across various states. In Arizona, only 36 cases of voter fraud were identified among over 42 million ballots cast across 25 years (a rate of approximately 0.0000845%). In Pennsylvania, just 39 cases were found among over 100 million votes cast in a span of 30 years.

The SAVE Act aims to amend the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) by mandating that individuals provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship (DPOC) when registering to vote. Acceptable forms of documentation include a valid U.S. passport, military ID with service records, or certain government-issued photo IDs showing place of birth. However, commonly used identification like standard driver’s licenses would no longer suffice, creating significant barriers for many Americans.

The bill also includes provisions for frequent voter roll purges based on citizenship data and imposes severe criminal penalties on election officials who register voters without proper documentation. Past purges have shown high error rates, with many eligible voters—including military members—wrongfully removed from voter rolls. Since the Act does not require notifying voters before removal, some service members may only discover they’ve been purged when attempting to vote.

Additionally, it would eliminate mail-in voter registration and overhaul online registration systems, forcing most registrations to be conducted in person.

Who Will Be Impacted

The SAVE Act could have far-reaching consequences for various groups:

The SAVE Act requires proof of citizenship (birth certificate or passport) in person to register
The SAVE Act mandates that all voter registration applicants provide documentary proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate, in person at election offices. This would eliminate online, mail-in, and third-party voter registration options.

More than 21.3 million Americans lack immediate access to proof of citizenship

Studies confirm that approximately 9% of voting-age citizens (around 21.3 million people) do not have ready access to documents like passports, birth certificates, or naturalization papers.

Military members serving abroad would face difficulties registering

Military voters currently rely on streamlined processes under UOCAVA, such as registering and requesting absentee ballots via the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), which can be submitted by mail, fax, or email. The SAVE Act would require in-person submission of documentary proof of citizenship, effectively ending these remote options.

Military IDs alone would no longer suffice for voter registration. Service members would need to provide additional documentation, such as a U.S. passport or a military service record showing they were born in the United States. 

Over 140 million Americans do not have a passport

Data shows that more than half of U.S. citizens lack a valid passport (approximately 146 million people).

69 million women who changed their last name after marriage lack matching birth certificates

While estimates suggest that around 69 million women have changed their last names after marriage, making their birth certificates mismatched with their legal names, the SAVE Act includes provisions for presenting additional documents like marriage certificates. However, the ambiguity in the bill’s language may still create barriers for these women.

Transgender individuals may face barriers due to name changes

Transgender individuals who have legally changed their names often face difficulties obtaining updated documents like birth certificates or passports. The SAVE Act’s requirements could disproportionately affect this group.

Disabled voters will face increased challenges

Disabled voters are already more likely to encounter barriers when voting. The SAVE Act’s in-person documentation requirements could further disenfranchise those with mobility issues or limited access to transportation.

Citizens of color are three times more likely to lack required documents

Research indicates that U.S. citizens of color are significantly more likely than white citizens to lack proof of citizenship documents like birth certificates or passports.

Election Officials

The legislation imposes criminal penalties on election workers who inadvertently register voters without proper documentation, potentially deterring officials from assisting eligible voters.

Nonprofits and Third-Party Registration Drives

The bill requires applicants to present citizenship documentation in person at government offices. So the SAVE Act would effectively end all third-party voter registration drives. Organizations would be unable to collect registration forms with accompanying proof of citizenship, as election officials must review the original documents in person.

Online voter registration portals

Online voter registration portals, available in many states, would also be eliminated. This change would force service members to travel to election offices—often impractical for those deployed overseas