Democrats’ recent hysteria over the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act has unsurprisingly manifested in claims that it’s “Jim Crow 2.0” and a threat to democracy itself. But cut through the hysterics and you’ll find that Democrats’ opposition to the SAVE Act is based on something far simpler: They hate anything that interferes with their long-running effort to control elections and consolidate power.
The SAVE Act would amend the 1993 National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) to require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
It’s not a literacy test or a poll tax. It’s just asking would-be voters to prove that they’re citizens of the country of the election they are participating in because currently, the only thing standing between a noncitizen and our “free and fair” elections is a small square box on the federal registration form asking applicants to attest under penalty of perjury that they are a citizens. In other words, the honor system.
Our “democracy” is so important to Democrats that they hinge it entirely on the honor system. But Democrats’ fight against the SAVE Act is part of a bigger effort to remake American elections in ways that permanently advantage Democrats.
Take H.R. 1, also known as the For the People Act. This was one of Democrats’ top priorities during the Biden administration. The legislation would, in part, mandate mail-in voting, require states to accept late ballots, and override state voter ID laws, as reported by The Federalist’s Joy Pullman. In other words, H.R. 1 would normalize the problems of the 2020 election and codify them into law.
Democrats wanted to grant the federal government veto power over state election laws, particularly laws that ensure the integrity and security of elections.
Similarly, Democrats tried to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This legislation would strip states and local jurisdictions of their control over elections. For example, the Department of Justice would be allowed to seize control of elections where voter ID laws were in place, according to The Heritage Foundation.
When states have acted on their own to protect the integrity of their elections, Democrats turned to the courts. Democrats have been particularly opposed to voter ID laws, with the Biden administration going so far as to sue Georgia in 2021 over its election integrity law that mandated voter ID. The DOJ alleged the legislation was discriminatory. Georgia later saw record turnout after the implementation of the bill.
The Biden administration sued Arizona in 2022 over the state’s requirement that prospective voters show documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in statewide elections. Notably, Arizona came up with its dual registration system after the Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that the state could not require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The state permits individuals who can provide documentary proof to register for both statewide and federal elections, while those unable to provide documentation may be registered as “federal only” voters.
The administration also sued Virginia for trying to remove noncitizens from its voter rolls in 2024. The suit alleged that the removal of noncitizens from the voter rolls violated the “Quiet Period Provision” of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, which requires states to complete voter list maintenance “not later than 90 days prior to the date of a primary or general election for Federal office. …”
The pattern is clear: Anytime a red state tries to enforce basic election integrity (whether cleaning voter rolls or implementing secure election practices), Democrats respond with lawsuits, threats of racism, or attempts at federal overreach.
In this context, Democrats’ hatred of the SAVE Act makes sense. Proof of citizenship to register to vote limits Democrats’ ability to exploit insecure election infrastructure, which could lead to noncitizens voting. The SAVE Act also reinforces the idea that voting is a right only of citizens — not just anyone within our borders.
And at this point, the only explanation there could be for opposing requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote is a desire to have noncitizens voting. There is no alternative rationale that survives even minimal scrutiny.
The same party that falsely claimed it was the end of democracy and “Jim Crow 2.0” when Georgia passed voter ID requirements in 2021 is the same party now selling the same shtick about the SAVE Act. Of course it’s just Democrats’ go-to defense line, but the rationale has been proven false time and time again.
When Democrats try this hard to kill a measure so reasonable and broadly supported, the facts speak for themselves about their motives.
Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2
