You'll need these documents to vote if the SAVE Act passes

Got a passport, birth certificate, Enhanced Driver's License, or other government-issued photo ID that proves you’re a U.S. citizen?

Without such documentation, you won’t be able to register to vote in federal elections if the contentious Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act – also known as the SAVE America Act, or SAVE Act – becomes law.

Senate Republicans are preparing to open lengthy debate on the measure this week. President Donald Trump is pushing hard for it.

The SAVE Act stalled in the Senate after the House passed it twice, in April 2025 and again in February 2026. Republicans are for it; Democrats are against it.

Trump has said he won’t sign any legislation until the Senate passes the act, though bills can still automatically become law if he doesn't veto them. The highly disputed bill would require people to produce documents proving they are U.S. citizens to register to vote in federal elections for presidents and congressional representatives.