The SAVE Act

By: Madison Shanfeld

What is the SAVE Act?

The SAVE Act, or the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, is a voting bill that some say could deprive the right to vote to millions in the United States, especially the tens of

NBC: Chip Roy

millions of married women in the U.S. This act was created to stop non-citizens from voting, despite this act already being incredibly rare. It was created by a Republican representative of Texas, Chip Roy, to require proof of citizenship. However, this act would not recognize proof of a legal name change or marriage certificates as proof of identity. 

What does the SAVE Act mean?

The question is, why would the SAVE act impede on the voting rights of citizens? Since 80% of women change their name after getting married, at least 80% of married women will have names that do not match their birth certificates. This means, by the laws of the SAVE act, they will not have the proper paperwork to vote. If they want to be able to vote in the next election, they either must pay to change their birth certificate or a new passport.

 However, this still affects the lower class. If a citizen has gone through a name change and can not afford to change their birth certificate or a new passport, they simply won’t be able to vote. The question arises of how expensive these changes could be. On average an adult passport book costs between $130 and $230, a certificate of citizenship is $1,000, a changed birth certificate requires court orders and fees, amounting to $100 to $400. These changes can cost more than the disposable income a citizen may have, thus impeding on their ability to fulfill the requirements needed to be able to vote.

 Between the 69 million women and 4 million men who have a name that doesn’t match their birth certificates, close to 25% of the voting population is affected by the SAVE Act.

What has happened so far

As previously stated, the act was proposed by Chip Roy, a Texan representative. The bill was also proposed last year, however it died in the Senate. Now, as it returns to the upper house of Congress, the Republicans have a 53 seat majority. It will require sixty senators to pass due to filibusters, or constant unlimited debate in the senate in an attempt to kill or shoot down a bill. The bill was proposed in the Republican controlled House of Representatives and passed on April 10th, 2025. Republican representatives say that individual states will be able to create processes to prove citizenship should somebody’s birth certificate not match their current government issued ID.

The next steps

The next steps for the SAVE Act are simple. First of all, the bill will go to the Senate where it will be debated and then put to a vote. If it follows the same trend as the last time this act was in the Senate’s possession, it will die on the floor. However, should the act pass the upper chamber, it will be sent to President Donald Trump’s desk, where he will decide whether to pass or veto it. Political scientists expect that Trump will pass the SAVE act. 

Your Impact

The SAVE Act is polarizing, like most things in modern American politics. There are many citizens working to actively and passively protest the passing of the act. Whether you are for or against it, your voice matters. Get out on the scene and make your voice heard either in person, on petitions, or online.