On February 11, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R. 7296).

What Would the SAVE America Act Do?

If enacted, the SAVE Act would create new federal requirements for registering to vote and voting in federal elections.

Requirements for Individuals

The bill would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. This would also apply to individuals who re-register due to a name change or a change of address.

The bill would also add two more requirements:

• Photo ID to vote: Individuals would need to show an accepted photo ID when voting in federal elections.
• In-person proof for mail registration: If an individual registers using the national mail voter registration form, the bill would require them to show proof of U.S. citizenship in person. They would need to do this by the state deadline at their election office.

Requirements for States

The bill would require states to:

• Collect proof of U.S. citizenship when someone registers to vote in federal elections.
• Educate the public on acceptable forms of proof.
• Establish an alternate process to determine U.S. citizenship.
• Update registration and voting steps to follow the new requirements.

The bill includes enforcement rules covering how election officials administer these requirements.

Why This Matters for Voting Access

Access to identification and citizenship documents varies among Americans. According to the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD):

• Half of American citizens, 146 million people, do not have a passport.
• More than 21 million American citizens, or 9% of all Americans, do not have readily available documentation verifying citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization records.
• 20% of people who self-identified as having a disability do not have a current driver’s license.
• 9% of people who self-identified as having a disability have a license that does not reflect their current name and address.
• In 2020, over half of voters with disabilities cast their ballots by mail.

What Happens Next

Even though the SAVE America Act has passed the U.S. House of Representatives, it has not yet passed the U.S. Senate and has not become law.

If you have concerns about how the bill could affect voting access, you can share those concerns with your elected officials. Hearing directly from people with disabilities and other voters can inform lawmakers as they consider potential real-world impacts.

For current Minnesota registration and voting information, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State elections pages.

Stay Informed

Accurate information matters, especially with fast-moving national news. These resources can help you follow updates:

• Minnesota Secretary of State: Minnesota’s election authority
• Minnesota Council on Disability: Voter access and policy resource

Note: You may see “SAVE Act” used for more than one proposal; this post focuses on H.R. 7296 and not H.R. 22.