Chicago – April 13, 2025
As the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act moves to the Senate, there is growing concern about how it might impact voting for millions of married women, especially those who have changed their last names after marriage.
The SAVE Act aims to make major changes to voter registration rules. It was introduced in response to worries about voter fraud, although studies show that voter fraud is very rare and doesn’t significantly affect elections.
One of the key changes in the bill is a requirement to prove U.S. citizenship before registering to vote. Acceptable documents would include a birth certificate, U.S. passport, naturalization papers, and certain types of Real ID that show citizenship.
However, this could be a problem for around 69 million American women who have taken their husband’s last name after marriage. Since their birth certificates show their maiden name, it may cause confusion when proving their citizenship, according to an analysis by the Center for American Progress. Additionally, more than half of Americans don’t have a passport, according to a 2023 YouGov survey.
Some lawmakers who oppose the SAVE Act say it could make it harder for married women to vote. Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota criticized the bill on social media, saying it would hurt millions of voters, especially married women.
Supporters of the bill argue that it allows states to decide what extra documents should be needed if there is a mismatch between a voter’s proof of citizenship and their registration information.
