The US House of Representatives approved the “SAVE America Act”, a project that requires proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo identification to vote. The measure, promoted by Donald Trump and the Republican Party, aims to tighten supervision of the November federal elections.
What changes on voting day with the new rules?
The main change is the obligation to present an official document with a photo to vote in person. Furthermore, the project requires voters to prove that they are an American citizen — using a passport or birth certificate — at the time of registration. The stated objective is to prevent people without citizenship, such as irregular immigrants, from participating in the process of choosing federal representatives.
How will the vote sent by mail work?
In the United States, it is common to vote by sending a ballot via the postal service. The new project makes this modality more rigid, requiring voters to send a copy of their valid identification along with their vote. The proposal also establishes that states must constantly review their voter lists to remove the names of people who do not have the right to vote or who have died, under penalty of punishment for authorities who do not comply with the rules.
Why does Donald Trump defend the federalization of elections?
Today, each American state organizes its own voting, following local rules. Trump argues that the federal government should intervene and supervise elections in places where he considers the system to be unsafe. He states that the current rules allow irregularities and that the unification of standards is necessary to guarantee the honesty of the results, going so far as to suggest that the federal government assume this responsibility in this year’s elections.
What are the main obstacles for the new law to come into force?
Although it passed the Chamber, the project faces resistance in the Senate, where 60 votes are needed for approval — a number that Republicans today do not have alone. Furthermore, American courts have blocked previous presidential decrees on the same topic. Many states argue that the Constitution grants them, not the president, the power to decide how elections should be conducted in their territories.
Are there proven cases of non-citizens voting?
Inspection entities point out that this occurs on small, but documented, scales. In a recent case in the District of Columbia, around 388 people without citizenship voted in the 2024 elections. The central debate is about the impact of these situations: while Republicans say this threatens the integrity of the system, Democrats argue that creating very strict document requirements could end up alienating legitimate voters, especially the poorest.
Content produced based on information gathered by the Gazeta do Povo team of reporters. To access the full information and delve deeper into the topic, read the report below.
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