ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Republicans in Congress are trying to make sweeping changes to voter registration. They're pushing a bill called the SAVE Act, which they say is needed for election integrity. Voting rights advocates are sounding the alarm because the bill would create new barriers for voters. NPR's Jude Joffe-Block is following this. Hi there.
JUDE JOFFE-BLOCK, BYLINE: Hey there.
SHAPIRO: I've heard of the SAVE Act. It's been around before. Just remind us of the history.
JOFFE-BLOCK: Right. This bill was first introduced last year. That's when then-candidate Donald Trump was pushing a baseless narrative that noncitizens were going to illegally vote and steal the 2024 election. The SAVE Act would require showing proof of citizenship to register to vote. And even though the election came and went without any evidence of widespread noncitizen voting, Republicans are trying again to pass the SAVE Act.
SHAPIRO: And what would change about voter registration under this bill?
JOFFE-BLOCK: Right. So when you register, you have to attest under penalty of perjury that you're a U.S. citizen, and voting illegally could mean prison time or deportation. The SAVE would require you to present citizenship proof - so a passport, or another common way would be a birth certificate along with a photo ID like a driver's license. And this would affect both new voters as well as existing voters who need to update their registrations, like if they move.
SHAPIRO: Would it also change how people register?
JOFFE-BLOCK: Well, a lot of us register to vote through the DMV, but according to the bill, you'd need to bring your citizenship document with you. And the bill would functionally end registering by mail because it says if you mail in your form, you have to go to the office of the appropriate election official and show your citizenship document in person. And so that in-person requirement would be a barrier to many rural voters who live hours away from the appropriate office, but also people who work full time or rely on public transportation. I spoke with Michael Siegrist. He's the town clerk in Canton, Michigan, and a Democrat. He's not a fan of this proposal.
MICHAEL SIEGRIST: It's a huge burden to those active registered voters to say, every time you move, you have to come into my office and show proof of citizenship. And, oh, by the way, how am I supposed to know if you've forged that birth certificate?
JOFFE-BLOCK: And to that last point, the bill really puts election officials like him on the line. They could face up to five years in prison and be vulnerable to lawsuits if they register someone who didn't show citizenship proof.
SHAPIRO: What else are you hearing from opponents of the bill who you've spoken with?
JOFFE-BLOCK: So the biggest concern is that millions of eligible voters would be disenfranchised. One in 10 American adults either don't have a proof-of-citizenship document or don't have easy access to one - that's according to survey data. And it does cost money and take time to get these documents. Plus, millions of women took their husband's name and now it doesn't match their birth certificate. They'd likely have to show even more documentation to register.
You know, proponents deny that these issues will disenfranchise eligible voters. The bill does tell states to figure out a protocol for citizens who don't have the needed documents, but those details are still unclear. And, you know, ultimately, House Bill sponsor Chip Roy says this bill is needed because Americans should be confident only American citizens are voting.
SHAPIRO: How likely is it to pass in this Congress?
JOFFE-BLOCK: Well, it's likely to pass in the House, but it would need bipartisan - it would likely need bipartisan support in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, and that doesn't seem likely. But at the same time, according to the Voting Rights Lab, Republicans in at least 18 states are pushing new requirements to prove citizenship for state elections, so this is - issue just isn't going away.
SHAPIRO: NPR's Jude Joffe-Block, thank you.
JOFFE-BLOCK: Thank you.
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