Civilians residing in the US now need more than just an election ID before heading to vote, as the House has approved legislation requiring proof of US citizenship.
Following Trump’s executive order on election reforms last month, Republicans advanced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
US Rep. Bryan Steil, leading the House election committee, stated during Thursday’s debate that the legislation aims to strengthen election integrity.
Despite previous House approval, the SAVE Act failed in the Senate last year. The current Senate composition, though Republican-controlled, lacks the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster, making passage unlikely.

What documents voters used to carry?

Before the legislation passed, the voters need to bring their voter ID requirement. US government asserted that pretty common forms of ID which will be acceptable include photo identification such as a driver’s license or a state ID or a passport while at the same time, some states might also accept non-photo IDs like the birth certificate or social security cards.
Of the 35 states that require voter ID, 24 require a photo ID, with 11 accepting other forms of identification. However, 15 states do not require identification at all.

After passing legislation, what voters now need for election?

The legislation requires applicants to present citizenship documentation in person at local election offices. Valid documents include US passports or government-issued photo IDs with certified birth certificates.
According to a 2023 Brennan Center for Justice report, 21.3 million voting-age US citizens lack readily available citizenship proof. The Kansas experience demonstrated significant impact, with over 31,000 eligible voters blocked before federal courts deemed the requirement unconstitutional in 2018.
Representative Joe Morelle criticised the bill’s bureaucratic burden. The legislation particularly affects married women requiring multiple documents for name changes, as evidenced in recent New Hampshire town elections where some women couldn’t register due to missing marriage certificates.
Four Democrats supported the bill: “Reps. Ed Case of Hawaii, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Perez of Washington.” Representative Chip Roy, the bill’s sponsor, acknowledged Cleta Mitchell’s involvement in its development.