Trending Now - Republican Election Bill May Complicate Voting for Many Americans
WHO:
President Donald Trump is backing the Republican voting legislation.
Joshua Bogdan, a 31-year-old resident of New Hampshire.
Rebekah Caruthers, president and CEO at the Fair Elections Center.
WHAT:
Congressional Republicans are pushing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act.
The SAVE America Act requires voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections.
The bill cleared the U.S. House last month on a mostly party-line basis.
A 2025 University of Maryland study estimates that 21.3 million Americans eligible to vote do not have or have easy access to documents to prove their citizenship.
The SAVE Act requires a certified birth certificate issued by a state, local government, or tribal government.
WHERE:
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where Joshua Bogdan attempted to vote.
The U.S. House and U.S. Senate, where the SAVE America Act is being debated.
WHEN:
The proof-of-citizenship law in New Hampshire took effect during town elections in 2025.
The SAVE America Act is scheduled for voting and debate in the U.S. Senate next week (week of March 14th, 2026).
It takes four weeks to six weeks to obtain a passport, excluding mailing time.
WHY:
Republicans claim the legislation would improve election integrity.
Trump has called the safeguards in the bill common sense.
Rebekah Caruthers stated that the legislation's strict documentation requirements could deny millions of eligible Americans their fundamental freedom to vote.
HOW:
The SAVE Act requires various forms of documentation, including a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote.
A military ID must be accompanied by a military “record of service” indicating the person's birthplace in the U.S.
The bill does not provide funding to help states and local governments implement the changes or promote them to voters.
(UPDATED March 14, 2026 17:10 UTC)
President Trump is backing the Republican-led SAVE America Act, which requires voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections. This legislation, which cleared the U.S. House last month, is set for debate and voting in the Senate next week, and critics like Rebekah Caruthers warn that its strict requirements could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters. In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where local proof-of-citizenship laws took effect during town elections in 2025, residents like Joshua Bogdan are already feeling the impact of these changes.