In a recent development, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a bill that aims to redefine voter registration and voting procedures. This bill, strongly supported by House Speaker Mike Johnson, has sparked controversy due to its strict requirements for proof of citizenship. The proposal demands documentation such as a passport or birth certificate along with a photo ID to register to vote, potentially impacting over 21 million eligible voters who do not possess these specific documents.

Critics argue that the SAVE Act, although unlikely to succeed in the Democratically controlled U.S. Senate, could set the stage for baseless claims of voter fraud following the upcoming fall elections. The bill's opponents fear that Republicans may use its failure as a pretext to accuse immigrants and Democratic elites of manipulating the election. They emphasize the danger of spreading false information that could undermine trust in the electoral process.

To bolster support for the bill, Speaker Johnson's office circulated a white paper that cited alleged "irrefutable evidence" of noncitizens illegally registering and voting in U.S. elections. As an example, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's report identified 137 suspected noncitizens on Ohio's voter rolls. However, it should be noted that LaRose himself acknowledged that some of these registrations could be the result of an honest mistake or related to recently naturalized citizens.

Despite Republican claims, no concrete evidence of widespread voter fraud has been presented thus far. Even experts, such as Brennan Center for Justice voting rights director Sean Morales-Doyle, argue that noncitizens voting illegally is an exceedingly rare phenomenon, often stemming from misunderstandings about eligibility rather than deliberate fraud.

The SAVE Act faces significant challenges due to its restrictive nature. The bill eliminates the use of social security numbers as a form of verification, potentially impacting many citizens who do not possess the necessary documents for registration. Furthermore, discrepancies in names due to marriage or divorce remain unaddressed, leaving it to the federal Election Assistance Commission and each state to determine additional documentation requirements.

The bill includes a provision that allows individuals without documentary proof of citizenship to bring any evidence they have and sign an "attestation under penalty of perjury" affirming their eligibility to vote. However, critics argue that this provision, seen as a "fig leaf," offers little to alleviate concerns and instead threatens election workers with potential penalties for registering noncitizens.

The SAVE Act draws comparisons to a similar law in Kansas, where former Secretary of State Kris Kobach's legislation required voters to provide proof of citizenship. This law resulted in the suspension or cancellation of registration for over 30,000 voters, but a federal judge ultimately struck it down, finding only 67 noncitizens attempted to register to vote in 19 years.

Opponents of the bill contend that if the proposed solution merely involves swearing an oath and signing a document, it essentially maintains the current system where voters affirm their citizenship on a registration form. They argue that this approach does not offer a meaningful solution and threatens to burden election administrators without addressing any inherent issues.

As the political battle over voting rights continues, the fate of the SAVE Act remains uncertain. While Speaker Johnson champions the bill, supported by claims of voter fraud in Ohio, its implementation faces strong opposition and skepticism regarding its effectiveness and potential consequences on voter eligibility.