Throughout the history of the United States, the right to vote has always been at the forefront of a much larger conversation about fundamental rights and liberties. The right of all American citizens over 18 to vote has been protected by the Constitution since 1971, but now, proposed federal legislation known as the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act is threatening to disenfranchise millions of Americans as part of a supposed crackdown on election fraud by the Trump administration.
President Trump campaigned on securing our borders, stopping endless wars and returning America to the “golden age.” Not only has the President failed to deliver on many of his campaign promises, but the Trump administration has also used the issue of border security to justify unconstitutional and morally incorrect actions, such as utilizing ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) against American citizens, and now, the SAVE Act. The restrictions imposed by the SAVE Act are manifestations of a broader assault on the freedoms and democratic values on which America was founded. In order to protect our system of government, we must fight back.
The SAVE Act was first introduced in the House of Representatives in early 2025 and passed the House in April 2025 after pressure from the Trump Administration. However, after being stalled in the Senate, a new version of the bill, cosponsored by Republican Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, was introduced and passed the House in January 2026 by a vote of 218-213. If passed by the Senate, it would disenfranchise millions of American voters by restricting voter access only to those who can provide identification through a passport, birth certificate, adoption decree or a naturalization certificate in addition to a driver’s license.
In the history of our country, voters have not had to provide identification when casting a ballot. They register and then provide their name and street address at their polling location. This process gives voters ease of access to one of our nation’s most fundamental rights. It is the basis of our democracy.
A survey conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice found that roughly 21.3 million American voters did not have these citizenship documents readily available. This isn’t just a documentation issue; it’s a purposeful measure to deprive millions of Americans of their Constitutional right to vote. Not only do many citizens not easily have access to citizenship documents, but nearly half of Americans do not have a passport. Communities where obtaining a passport or other form of identification is more difficult would be disenfranchised, as getting a passport isn’t a simple process; it requires completing a DS-11 form and submitting your original or certified copy of your birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship. Applicants need to provide additional identification, such as a government-issued ID along with a submitted passport photo. Not to mention, there are fees associated with obtaining a passport, which include a $130 application fee and a $30 execution fee for anyone over the age of 16, while minors under the age of 16 must pay a $100 application fee and a $35 execution fee.
The Trump Administration’s primary justification for the SAVE Act is alleged voter fraud, an issue Trump has spent years castigating as widespread. However, voter fraud in the United States is extraordinarily rare, with fewer than 1% of votes cast each year found to be fraudulent. Why should millions of Americans be hindered from voting because of a non-issue in our country? President Trump isn’t just spreading misinformation; he’s working to limit turnout in the 2026 midterm elections in communities that tend to vote with the Democratic Party.
The SAVE Act targets not only in-person voters, but also mail-in and absentee voters. According to the SAVE Act’s official bill summary, mail-in voters must submit a form and present proof of citizenship in person to be eligible to vote. President Trump has vowed to end mail-in ballots (except for illness, disability, military service or travel) for Americans through the SAVE Act. However, nearly 1 in 3 Americans voted by mail in the 2024 election, making voting more widespread and easier for citizens, as they don’t have to drive, stand in lines or neglect other duties. Additionally, the requirement for birth certificates at voting locations for both in-person and mail-in ballots could hinder married women who have changed their last name, as well as trans people, from easily voting.
The SAVE Act marks a larger effort within the Trump Administration to subvert democracy, and his administration won’t stop at the SAVE Act. The Washington Post reported that the White House was drafting a nearly 17-page executive order to federalize elections ahead of the 2026 midterms, declaring a national emergency based on the egregiously false claim that China’s interference with the 2020 elections cost Trump the election.
Ahead of the 2026 midterm, many students across the country, including those at Algonquin, will become eligible to vote. Should the SAVE Act pass before the midterm elections, immediate restrictions on voting for Americans will take effect. As Americans, we have to reject this blatant disenfranchisement of huge swathes of the country. Six years after President Trump lost the 2020 election, he has still been unable to accept that there was no widespread voter fraud in the election and that he lost fair and square.
We cannot allow the Trump Administration to further their agenda in making voting more difficult, all because of baseless facts that have been used by the president and his administration for many of his campaign promises. This administration’s attacks on democracy won’t end at the SAVE Act. President Trump has proven time and time again that he cannot be trusted to protect civil liberties and freedoms that Americans have held for decades. As Americans, our representatives and senators, who have the power to stop this legislation, answer to us, their constituents. Contact your Senator or representative and urge them to vote against this detrimental act and any other legislation that threatens democracy in our country.
In the United States of America, every citizen over the age of 18 is entitled to vote in our elections. President Trump and Republicans in Congress must understand that we will not surrender to the administration’s continuous attacks and threats to our communities, our laws and our Constitution. When we rally together as one community, our voices are stronger than one man’s voice in the White House.
(Links to contact information for our Representatives: Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Jim McGovern)
