SAVE Act

The bill would amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to prohibit states from accepting or processing any voter registration application for a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. Acceptable documents would include REAL ID-compliant identification showing citizenship, a valid U.S. passport, a military ID paired with a birth-in-the-U.S. service record, or a government-issued photo ID combined with a certified birth certificate, adoption decree, naturalization certificate, or similar document. States would also have to establish an alternative process for applicants who cannot produce standard documents, allowing them to submit other evidence and sign a penalty-of-perjury attestation while a state or local official makes a citizenship determination.

States would be required within 30 days of enactment to establish programs identifying noncitizens on voter rolls using data from DHS, the Social Security Administration, and state agencies, and must remove confirmed noncitizens from those rolls. The bill would add criminal penalties for election officials who register applicants lacking the required proof and for executive branch employees who assist noncitizens in attempting to register. It would also expand the existing private right of action under the NVRA to allow suits against officials who register unqualified applicants. The Election Assistance Commission would be required to issue implementation guidance to states within 10 days of enactment. The bill would apply only to registration applications submitted on or after the date of enactment.

All individuals applying to register to vote in federal elections going forward — including first-time registrants and people who move and re-register. State and local election officials, motor vehicle agencies, and public assistance offices acting as voter registration agencies would face new processing and documentation requirements. The Election Assistance Commission would be required to update forms, issue guidance, and develop a uniform affidavit. DHS and the Social Security Administration would be required to respond to state citizenship-verification requests within 24 hours at no charge.

Every future voter registration applicant for federal elections would need to produce specific citizenship documents, creating a new step that supporters say ensures election integrity and critics argue could delay or block registration for eligible citizens who lack ready access to passports or certified birth certificates. Election officials would face new criminal exposure and civil liability for processing applications without required proof. States would face tight timelines to build new verification infrastructure and cross-check voter rolls against federal databases.

The Election Assistance Commission would issue implementation guidance to all state chief election officials within 10 days of enactment and develop a uniform affidavit for officials who approve registrants under the alternative process. States would update registration procedures at all NVRA-covered agencies — motor vehicle offices, public assistance agencies, and others — to collect and record citizenship documents. Within 30 days, states would stand up programs cross-checking voter rolls against DHS SAVE system data, Social Security number verification, and state ID databases. Federal agencies would be required to respond to state verification requests within 24 hours, free of charge, including providing batch information. DHS would be required to investigate potential removal proceedings whenever a verified noncitizen is found on a voter roll.