President Donald Trump insisted in a Truth Social post on Feb. 13 that voter identification would be required for the upcoming midterm elections, even if it is not approved by Congress.
"The Democrats refuse to vote for Voter I.D., or Citizenship. The reason is very simple — They want to continue to cheat in Elections. This was not what our Founders desired," he wrote. "There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not! Also, the People of our Country are insisting on Citizenship, and No Mail-In Ballots, with exceptions for Military, Disability, Illness, or Travel."
House Republicans passed legislation on Feb. 11 that would require proof of U.S. citizenship for voters ahead of the midterm elections. But the measure is expected to face major pushback in the Senate.
Previous versions of the bill failed to gain traction in both chambers last year. This latest iteration, which builds on the 2024 version by adding a voter ID provision, must get 60 votes to pass.
The legislation, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America, Act, would require people to provide proof of citizenship "in person" when registering to vote in federal elections, and adds an additional requirement that voters show an approved form of photo identification to cast their ballot. It also places new rules on mail-in voting, requiring Americans to send in a copy of their ID when both requesting and submitting their ballot.
