NY Advocates Fight Federal Voter ID Bill

Proposed legislation would require passports or birth certificates to vote, posing challenges for millions of New Yorkers.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 7:06am

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Voting rights advocates in New York and across the country are pushing back against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act in Congress, which would impose strict voter ID requirements. The bill would require people to use a passport or birth certificate to vote or register, but more than 5 million New Yorkers who are citizens do not have passports. Supporters say the bill would crack down on noncitizen voting, but data show it rarely occurs. Critics argue the bill would create more challenges for historically disenfranchised communities.

Why it matters

The proposed federal voter ID law could disproportionately impact marginalized communities in New York, including those that have faced environmental injustice, by making it more difficult for them to participate in the democratic process. The bill also comes with a large financial burden that states would have to bear.

The details

The SAVE Act would require people to use a passport or birth certificate to vote or register. This would affect more than 5 million New Yorkers who are citizens but do not have passports. The bill also contains a 'married woman' provision that would disqualify millions of women whose current name does not match their birth name. Even if the federal bill fails, some individual states are considering similar measures to implement stricter voter ID requirements.

  • The U.S. Senate is currently debating the SAVE Act.

The players

Justin Kwasa

Democracy program manager for the League of Conservation Voters.

National Association of Counties

Estimated that implementing the SAVE Act would cost 11 times more than current federal grant funding provides, and states would be responsible for picking up the tab on the bill's $510 million cost increase for elections.

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What they’re saying

“Communities that have suffered the worst impacts of environmental injustice also traditionally haven't been allowed to be a part of the voting process in our nation's history. In order to correctly address environmental issues, we need to have a strong democracy and we need to have these communities participate.”

— Justin Kwasa, Democracy program manager, League of Conservation Voters

“A huge argument against the SAVE Act is the 'married woman' provision, where you have to have your original birth certificate. Millions and millions of married women wouldn't qualify to register to vote because their current name does not match their birth name.”

— Justin Kwasa, Democracy program manager, League of Conservation Voters

What’s next

The U.S. Senate is currently debating the SAVE Act, and if it passes, it would then need to be signed into law by the President.

The takeaway

The proposed federal voter ID law could create significant barriers to voting for millions of New Yorkers, particularly those in marginalized communities. Voting rights advocates are pushing back against the bill, arguing it would undermine democracy and make it harder for people to participate in the political process.