Congress Just Passed the Most Extreme Voter Suppression Bill in Modern History
The SAVE Act just cleared the House. Now it's up to us to stop it in the Senate.
This isn’t a drill. The U.S. House of Representatives just passed the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) — a sweeping new voter suppression bill that would impose the most burdensome voter registration restrictions in modern American history. The bill now heads to the Senate, and we need to stop it there.
At Bright America, we believe democracy should work for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected. So here’s what this bill would really mean for everyday Americans — and what you can do about it.
What the SAVE Act would do:
1. Ban Online and Mail-In Registration
You’d no longer be able to register to vote online or by mail. Everyone would have to show up in person at a government office, NOT JUST WITH ID, but with specific citizenship documents in hand.
2. Require You to Show Original Citizenship Documents — In Person
You may hear supporters of the SAVE Act falsely claim the law just requires people to show ID - “what’s the big deal?” But that’s NOT what the law actually says. Instead, it would require citizens to present one of the following, in person:
U.S. Passport ($165, and most Americans don’t have one)
Birth Certificate (Has your name changed since birth? You’re out of luck!)
Certificate of Naturalization (only immigrants who have applied for and been granted U.S. citizenship would have this)
If you don’t have one of these on hand, you wouldn’t be able to register. No exceptions. No flexibility. No workarounds.
And can you imagine the line?!
3. Force You to Jump through Hoops — Again and Again
Moved? Got married and changed your name? Switched political parties? You’ll have to register again from scratch — and show your citizenship documents again.
This disproportionately affects young people, students, military families, newly married women, anyone who changes their name, and anyone who moves frequently.
4. Mandate Aggressive Voter Purges
States would be required to scour government databases looking for “suspected non-citizens” and purge them — with no requirement to notify the voter.
Naturalized citizens are especially at risk, since records may not reflect their updated status. Not to mention the government could just make a mistake with any of our records. You could show up to vote and discover your name was wiped from the rolls.
5. Criminalize Honest Mistakes by Election Workers
If an election official registers someone without the required documents — even if that person is a citizen — the official could face civil and criminal penalties.
This would terrify administrators into denying applications, even when the applicant is fully eligible.
Let’s be clear: This bill would make it harder to register, easier to get kicked off the rolls, and riskier for public servants just trying to do their jobs.
Why this matters (if it isn’t obvious!):
This isn’t about “election integrity” — the massive election fraud claimed by Trump and his supporters has been thoroughly debunked. It’s a calculated attempt to suppress votes — especially from young people, people of color, new Americans, rural voters, low-income communities, and anyone who doesn’t have a vault of paperwork handy.
And now it’s heading to the U.S. Senate.
What can YOU do?
Call your U.S. Senators right now and tell them to vote NO on the SAVE Act.
Tell them: “Protect my right to vote. I want free and fair elections, and this is NOT the way to do it. Please do NOT pass this bill.”
We’ve stopped bills like this before. But only when enough of us speak out!
And Let’s Not Forget…
The SAVE Act would come on the heels of Donald Trump signing an unlawful and unconstitutional executive order mandating many of the same provisions in the SAVE Act. With our strategic partner Campaign Legal Center, Bright America’s members are fueling a high stakes legal challenge that’s been filed in federal court. You can learn more about that here:
So many leaders and organizations are sitting back, waiting for the worst to happen. We get it, they’re afraid to do much more than complain.
But that’s not who we are — we believe in REAL ACTION, because action does two things: 1) it gets a heck of a lot more results than inaction, and 2) it fuels hope.
Both are required to pursue and realize a bright vision for our country. So let’s do it together.