ACLU Condemns House Passage of Anti-Voter SAVE Act, Calls on Senate to Reject It

The American Civil Liberties Union condemns the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the SAVE Act, legislation that would require in-person documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote—an unnecessary and discriminatory measure that would effectively end online and mail voter registration, disenfranchise millions of eligible voters and destabilize election administration nationwide.

The SAVE Act echoes failed and unconstitutional laws like Kansas’s proof of citizenship requirement, which purged over 30,000 eligible voters and was struck down in federal court. This legislation would especially harm naturalized citizens, voters with low incomes, voters of color, Native American voters, rural voters, and first-time voters—many of whom lack easy access to a passport or birth certificate. It would also threaten the voting rights of as many as 69 million women who have taken their spouse’s name but whose birth certificate does not match. By demanding burdensome documentation and triggering erroneous voter roll purges, the SAVE Act also threatens the ability of even long-time registered voters to stay on the rolls and participate in elections.

In a statement, Molly McGrath, director of the ACLU’s national democracy campaigns, said:

“The SAVE Act is a dangerous and unnecessary attack on voting rights that could block millions of eligible citizens from voting. We are already challenging President Trump’s unconstitutional executive order that seeks to impose similar restrictions through the Election Assistance Commission—an illegal overreach that threatens to upend our elections. This isn’t about protecting voters or our elections, it’s about politicians who want to protect themselves and pick and choose their voters. But that’s not how democracy works. The Senate must reject this bill and instead ensure that every eligible citizen can easily cast their ballot.”

The ACLU urges the U.S. Senate to reject the SAVE Act and reaffirm its commitment to a fair, inclusive, and accessible democracy for all Americans.