As the Senate Weighs the Trump-Backed SAVE Act, These States Are Advancing Their Own Voting Restrictions
Quick Insights
The Bottom Line
Four Republican-led states enacted voter citizenship verification laws similar to Trump's failed federal SAVE Act, with five more pursuing constitutional amendments.
How This Affects You
Over 21 million voting-age Americans lack ready access to citizenship documents, potentially creating barriers for eligible voters under these new verification requirements.
AI Summary
President Trump's federal SAVE Act—requiring proof of citizenship and photo ID to vote nationally—faces near-certain defeat in the Senate, but Republican governors in Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Utah have signed identical state versions into law this month. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his state's bill Wednesday, requiring citizenship verification of all registered voters by checking federal and state records, with major provisions taking effect after the 2026 midterms; voting rights groups immediately sued to block it, arguing the rules violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Five additional states—Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, South Dakota, and West Virginia—have ballot measures for November that would amend state constitutions to explicitly bar non-citizens from voting, while Arizona and Michigan are pursuing similar measures. Research shows non-citizen voting is extremely rare, but the Brennan Center for Justice found that more than 21 million voting-age Americans lack ready access to citizenship documents, potentially creating barriers for eligible voters.
What's Being Done
Voting rights groups sued Florida to block its citizenship verification law; additional states have ballot measures pending for November; Arizona and Michigan are pursuing similar measures.
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Democratic attorneys general sue Trump over order to restrict mail voting
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