The SAVE Act could change how Americans register to vote. Whether or not it passes, be ready. Find out exactly what documents you need and how to get them in your state.
Click any state to see its voter registration guide. States are colored by proof-of-citizenship law status.
Select your state to see current voter registration requirements, how to get your birth certificate, and direct links to your election office. States with a red left border currently have proof-of-citizenship laws.
51 states match
Whether or not the SAVE Act becomes law, having your documents in order protects your right to vote. Start today.
Before anything else, make sure your voter registration is active and your information is current. It only takes a minute.
Check your registration at Vote.gov(opens in new tab)Find your passport, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate. You'll need originals — photocopies would not be accepted under the SAVE Act.
A U.S. passport is the single most reliable proof of citizenship. Routine processing takes 4–6 weeks; budget $130–$165 for a book.
Apply at travel.state.govOrder from the vital records office in the state where you were born. Costs $9–$45 depending on the state; processing takes 1–12 weeks.
Order at USA.govBetween passport fees, birth certificate fees, and expedited shipping, most people should expect to spend roughly $150–$200 (estimate). Fee waivers may be available for low-income applicants.
The Senate has not passed it: attempts to advance the bill in March 2026 fell short of the 60 votes needed, and as of July 2026 its provisions are attached to a defense spending bill awaiting Senate action. Regardless of your position, let your senators know how you feel.
Find your senatorsUnder the SAVE Act, voters would need to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Only a narrow set of federal documents are accepted.
In the package the House passed in February 2026 (S. 1383), the official bill summary also describes additional voter-ID requirements for in-person voting.
Standard driver’s licenses, REAL IDs, military IDs, and tribal IDs would not qualify as proof of citizenship under this legislation.
Apply at a passport acceptance facility (usually a post office) with proof of citizenship, photo ID, passport photo, and fees. Renew online or by mail if eligible.
Official InfoContact the vital records office in the state where you were born. Order online through VitalChek (authorized vendor) or by mail/in-person at your county or state office.
Official InfoIf lost, file Form N-565 with USCIS. Original issued at naturalization ceremony.
Official InfoFor people who derived or acquired citizenship through parents. Apply using Form N-600 with USCIS.
Official InfoFor U.S. citizens born outside the U.S. whose parents reported the birth to a U.S. embassy or consulate. Request replacement from the Department of State.
Official InfoImportant Note for Married / Name-Changed Voters
Nearly 8 in 10 women in opposite-sex marriages take their husband’s surname. The SAVE Act does not explicitly mention marriage certificates as acceptable proof of citizenship. If your current legal name differs from the name on your birth certificate, a U.S. passport in your current legal name may be the most reliable document to satisfy the requirement.
Some citizens face extra hurdles. Find guidance for your situation below.
Key numbers on how many eligible voters lack citizenship documents — and how often noncitizen voting is actually recorded.
Baseline facts last verified: July 27, 2026. Active-state count derived live from current state data.
10
States actively verifying citizenship for voter registration
As of July 27, 2026: AZ, IA, IN, MS, NH, OH, SD, TN, UT, WY. Mechanisms vary (documentary proof vs. database/SAVE checks; SAVE is a federal immigration-status database — unrelated to the SAVE Act), and other states have laws on the books that are not in force — see each state guide.~160M
Americans without a valid passport (estimate)
Derived from State Dept passports-in-circulation data (2025)35,000+
Eligible citizens blocked in Kansas
Kansas law in effect 2013–2018; ~35,000 blocked by 2016 (ACLU)~80%
of women in opposite-sex marriages who took their husband's name
Millions may have name mismatch on birth certHow SAVE Act and related legislation have progressed through Congress. “SAVE Act” refers to a family of bills — H.R. 8281 (2024), H.R. 22 (2025), and the SAVE America Act carried in 2026 as an amendment to S. 1383. It is unrelated to the federal SAVE immigration database used by some states.
May 2024
SAVE Act (H.R. 8281) introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) [source]
July 2024
Passed House 221–198 (118th Congress). Died in Senate. [source]
Jan 2025
Reintroduced as H.R. 22 in 119th Congress [source]
Apr 2025
Passed House 220–208. Stalled in Senate. [source]
Jan 2026
SAVE America Act introduced as H.R. 7296 in the 119th Congress. [source]
Feb 2026
House passes the SAVE America Act 218–213 (Roll Call 69), using Senate bill S. 1383 as the legislative vehicle, and sends it back to the Senate. [source]
Feb 25, 2026
Trump urges passage at State of the Union. Thune signals talking filibuster unlikely. [source]
Mar 2026
Senate takes up the House-passed vehicle (motion to proceed agreed 51–48, Mar 17) but no cloture motion reaches 60 votes — closest was 53–47 on the Husted voter-ID amendment (Mar 26). The measure stalls. [source]
Mar 2026
States act independently: SD signs SB 175 into law (emergency clause, effective immediately); FL passes HB 991 (signed by Gov. DeSantis Apr 1, 2026); UT passes HB 209 (signed by Gov. Cox); MS passes SHIELD Act (signed by Gov. Reeves Apr 1, 2026, eff. Jul 1, 2026). KY omnibus HB 139 sent to Gov. Beshear. [source]
Apr 2026
Kentucky enacts omnibus HB 139 (citizenship database-check and voter-ID changes) after the legislature overrides Gov. Beshear's veto on Apr 14, 2026. [source]
Jun 2026
Senate rejects (48–50) an amendment to attach SAVE provisions to the budget reconciliation package during vote-a-rama. [source]
Jul 22, 2026
House passes the FY2027 defense spending bill 216–212 under a rule attaching the SAVE America Act, sending the package to the Senate. [source]
Pending
No SAVE vehicle has reached 60 votes in the Senate; SAVE provisions now ride on the House-passed defense spending package awaiting Senate action. [source]
Regardless of your position on the SAVE Act, your senators need to hear from you. The bill's fate will be decided in the Senate. The sample script and email below focus on voter-access concerns — adapt them to your own views.