The purpose of the SAVE Act is to intentionally create hurdles that make it harder for citizens to vote. The SAVE Act, otherwise known as the Safeguard Voter Eligibility Act, has officially been passed by the House of Representatives. This means it is one step closer to impacting millions of Americans by making it harder to vote.
The SAVE Act
There are two different SAVE Acts. The SAVE Act was introduced to the House of Representatives in May 2024. After about two months of debate, it passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 221-198. Lasting only about two weeks in the Senate, it was rejected. Since it only passed one part of the Legislative Branch, it is technically still a bill. This bill introduced the idea of individuals being required to show proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. By showing documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC), citizens are now required to get very specific items in order to prove they are eligible to vote. The problem with this is about 21M Americans do not have access to qualified DPOC. By creating this hurdle, less people are going to register to vote, meaning less Americans are going to have their voices heard.
The SAVE America Act
The SAVE America Act is the new updated version of the SAVE Act. Introduced in April 2025, it has already passed the House of Representatives by five votes. It has been in the Senate since mid-February. If the SAVE America Act is passed by the Senate, it is then sent to the Speaker of the House and Vice President. It is signed by the both of them and then is finally sent to the President. The President then has two weeks to either veto or pass it. If the SAVE America Act is signed into law by the President, there will be a decline in people voting and using their voice to speak out.
Differences and similarities between the SAVE Act and the SAVE America Act
Although they have similar names, the SAVE Act and SAVE America Act are not the same. The SAVE America Act is seen as more strict because it requires a very specific photo ID to vote and also when requesting an absentee ballot. But, they both share the stern rules for registering, such as the DPOC being required and even your social security number. Both of them also eliminate mail-in and online voter registration. In 2022, about 7M Americans utilized mail-in voting and 11M registered online. This makes it harder for the people, like the working class, who do not have the extra time to go in-person to register to vote.
What is a DPOC in regards to the Save America Act?
There are very specific regulations and criteria for DPOC of what is considered “good enough” under the SAVE America Act. Your Real ID would not be accepted because it does not show citizenship. An item that does work could be a passport. The problem is that only about 50% of Americans own a passport. And to buy one, it is about $130 with a delivery time of 4-7 weeks. Encouraging and wanting people to spend money on a document in order to vote is directly against the 24th Amendment. This amendment has the purpose of ending poll taxes and other unnecessary costs that can prevent someone from voting. A birth certificate could work if your current name matches the name on the paper. So, that would not work if you have ever changed your name due to marriage, transitioning, or the other multitudes of reasons why one would change their name. Also, about 11% of Americans do not have access to their birth certificate. In the case of women changing their name for marriage, another step is created for women. Not only would they have to bring their birth certificate and a drivers license, they would also need to bring their marriage certificates that show proof of changing their last name. Women should never have to do extra steps to get the same outcome as a man.
What can you do?Registering to vote when you are not a citizen is illegal. By adding in these extra steps to confirm citizenship, it can disencourage citizens from voting. Voting is a constitutional right, and it should be accessible to all Americans. Find out who your representatives are and contact them to vote no on the SAVE America Act.