Poll: SAVE America Act meets voter skepticism

President Donald Trump has prioritized the SAVE America Act as a key GOP agenda item leading up to the midterm elections. However, public opinion on the measure remains divided.

According to The POLITICO Poll, while some Americans back certain elements of the SAVE America Act, such as the requirement for documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, the overall support is not decisive. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the broader elections bill, despite Trump’s persistent urging of Republican lawmakers to advance it.

Democrats largely oppose the SAVE Act, showing little enthusiasm even for the voter ID aspects, which garner the most support. This suggests Trump’s focus on legislation that lacks bipartisan appeal.

A survey by Public First indicates that 42 percent of voters supporting former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 favor proof of citizenship for voter registration, including by mail. This is overshadowed by the three-quarters of Trump 2024 voters who favor the measure.

When asked about the bill overall—by name but without details—only 37 percent of Americans expressed support, while 21 percent opposed it. A significant portion, 42 percent, were either neutral or unsure about the SAVE America Act.

A slight majority believes the bill would enhance election fairness (38 percent) over those who think it would reduce fairness (32 percent), with 30 percent undecided, indicating that opinions are still forming as Trump uses it as a campaign tool.

“We are either going to fix” elections, he wrote on his Truth Social recently, in existential terms, “or we won’t have a Country any longer.”

The findings underscore that while voter ID and proof of citizenship are popular, the SAVE America Act itself has not gained similar traction. Alongside proof of citizenship, the bill mandates states to regularly audit voter lists and eliminate non-citizens.

“Voter ID is very popular, but the SAVE Act has been loaded up with other stuff,” noted Buzz Brockway, a GOP strategist and former Georgia state representative. “I think Senate Republicans should strip the bill back to Voter ID only. It still won’t pass because of Democratic opposition, but it would be a more popular bill.”

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated that the SAVE America Act is “commonsense legislation supported by the vast majority of Americans … who want to ensure our elections are secure and that only American citizens vote in American elections.”

Having passed the House in February, the SAVE America Act has encountered obstacles in the Senate due to GOP disagreements and strong Democratic resistance. Four Republican senators—Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)—recently opposed an amendment that might have advanced the bill within a larger reconciliation package, casting doubt on its future in a closely divided Congress.

Critics argue the legislation could significantly hinder voting for Americans lacking proper documentation, such as a paper birth certificate or passport.

“The SAVE Act will make it exceedingly and unacceptably difficult for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Americans, to be heard,” commented Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock recently. “And so if all the people in the election can’t be heard, who are eligible to vote, then that’s something other than democracy.”

“I don’t think the American public knows what is in store for them if [the SAVE ACT] passes,” said Hawaii Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono. “Millions of people are going to need to re-register.”

With Congress at a standstill, some Republicans are moving forward at the state level to enforce proof of citizenship in voting laws. States like Arkansas and Kansas are poised to vote on similar measures this November, echoing the federal SAVE America Act.

In battleground states like Alaska and Michigan, lawmakers have collected enough signatures to put citizenship questions to voters, potentially testing if public support in surveys translates into electoral outcomes.