A new bill approved by Donald Trump‘s government on Thursday would require voters to prove their U.S. citizenship when registering to vote if enacted. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or “Save Act” aims to prevent non-citizens from voting but it could make it much more difficult for millions of people who are citizens to vote.
On top of that, citizens travelling on domestic flights will be required to be Real ID compliant in order to board the plane. The law will be enforced by the government starting May 7. Real IDs are any form of state-issued identification, such as a driver’s license or identification cards according to the Department of Homeland Security website.
Do I need to get my Real ID figured out?
If you want to board domestic flights then it’s essential to get a hold of some form of Real ID. Starting next month the law requiring them for travel, which has seen over 20 years of delays, will be enforced by the TSA.
When it comes to voting it’s a different matter. While the Save act states Real IDs could be used if they indicate an individual is a U.S. citizen, these IDs rarely contain such information. Lawful residents who are Non-citizens and still ineligible to vote are also able to obtain these, so it’s difficult to imagine them being accepted.
The problem with the voting ID law change
If the Save act is enacted then it will require citizens to bring either a passport or their birth certificate to prove their right to vote. The problem with this is that not everyone has a passport or their birth certificate. As a Real ID, like a drivers license, does not prove citizenship it means millions of Americans will have to pay for a passport or try to get a hold of their birth certificate.
Citizens with outdated documents will also be affected by the potential change. For example, married women who take their husband’s second name need an ID that matches. So a birth certificate won’t cut it as the name will be different.
It’s starting to become apparent how the Save act could potentially prevent millions of people who have a right to vote, from voting. It particularly targets women, yet it seems nothing is being done to mitigate this issue.
It’s confusing, but figuring out your ID is essential. Remember, Real IDs, like driving licenses and identification cards for domestic flights, and birth certificate or passport for voting. It’s definitely worth sorting these out now. The bill hasn’t been enacted yet, but figuring this out now will save you from a headache later down the line if it is enacted.
Published: Apr 11, 2025 07:33 am