The SAVE America Act: Where It Stands and What It Means for County Election Administration

NACo is hosting a webinar on the SAVE America Act and where it stands currently stands. Participants will hear an overview of what the bill would require, the implementation timeline and cost implications for county election offices, and where things stand in the Senate. The briefing will be followed by a moderated discussion with two county election officials Chris Walker, Jackson County, Ore. Clerk, and Kim Trueblood, Marathon County, Wis. Clerk on what compliance would actually look like on the ground and why counties are opposed.

Background

Elections in the United States are primarily carried out by state and local governments — counties alone run more than 100,000 polling places supported by 770,000 certified poll workers. On July 22, the House advanced the SAVE America Act (H.R. 7296/S. 1383) on two parallel tracks: passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA; H.R. 8800) with the full SAVE America Act text attached; and separately passing a budget reconciliation framework, also referred to as Reconciliation 3.0 (H. Con Res. 113), that would include a grant incentive built around SAVE America Act-style provisions.

The SAVE America Act is much more than a bill requiring photo ID at the polls – it mandates that documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) must be presented by citizens registering to vote. For most Americans, this typically means a passport or certified birth certificate presented in person.