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This new legislation could affect millions of Ohio voters. Here’s how

By Sundi Rose

The first SAVE Act, (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act) was first introduced Jan. 3 of last year and squeaked through the U.S. House before stalling in the Senate.

A beefier “SAVE America Act” sequel passed the House on Feb. 11 with the same voter-tightening language, but still needs a Senate greenlight and President Donald Trump’s signature to become law.

The new language in the SAVE Act will require voters to provide additional proof of U.S. citizenship when registering or updating voter registration, creating a more labor-intensive experience at the polls

Ohio current election rules

Ohio is watching closely, not only because it's a competitive swing state, but because the state already passed strict photo ID requirements in 2023 (H.B. 458). Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has publicly supported the SAVE Act, with reservations about implementation.

To register

Voters need to meet the following criteria:

  • Ohio driver’s license or state ID card
  • Be an Ohio resident for at least 30 days before the election
  • Be 17½ to register (18 to vote)
  • Not be currently incarcerated for a felony conviction
  • Not be under a court order declaring them incompetent

    To vote

    Ohioans must present an unexpired photo ID

    Acceptable forms of ID include:

    • Ohio driver's license or state ID card
    • U.S. passport or passport card
    • U.S. passport
    • U.S. military ID card
    • Ohio National Guard ID card
    • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

    Ohio offers free state ID cards through the BMV for residents 17 and older. Voters without qualifying photo ID may cast a provisional ballot.

    New requirements if the SAVE act is passed

    The SAVE Act requires citizenship documents at the time of voter registration, and would effectively end Ohio’s online registration system. Because documents would need to be presented in person at county boards of elections, some voters will be excluded. Ohio has one board of elections per county.

    Registration documents must include what the government is calling “real proof” plus other documents that often require extra steps.

    “Real proof” of citizenship includes:

    • US Passport
    • Birth certificate (with photo ID)
    • REAL ID-compliant ID indicating citizenship
    • Military/naturalization papers.

    It is very important to note that Ohio’s REAL ID cards do not indicate U.S. citizenship. Therefore, the REAL ID that most residents carry wouldn’t satisfy the Act’s standard without providing additional documentation.

    Name mismatches between documents, common for married women, require additional paperwork like marriage certificates or court orders.

    What the experts are saying

    The SAVE Act introduces stringent documentation requirements that exceed current federal and state standards, posing significant administrative and access challenges.

    • The White House says the bill is meant to address and reduce non-citizen voting and “protect federal elections from fraud and abuse,” however research finds it is a statistically minimal issue.
    • The Bipartisan Policy Center reports just 0.04% of voter verification cases are returned as non-citizens
    • The Brennan Center for Justice suggests the new legislation would “block millions of American citizens from voting [with] the new bills containing unique additional obstacles.”
    • Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose supports the bill in principle but has flagged a real concern: “I remain concerned about the lack of a clear plan to get us the citizenship records we need to do our jobs.”

    Voters most likely to be affected

    The act’s mandates would disproportionately burden specific demographics lacking ready access to citizenship proofs.

    Over 21 million eligible voters nationwide face barriers, with heightened impacts in states like Ohio.

    Highly impacted groups:

    • Rural residents and low-income individuals 
    • Married women with name changes
    • First-time voters
    • College students 
    • Individuals aging out of foster care
    • Voters of color
    • Recent naturalized citizens
    • Seniors
    • Disabled individuals
    • Frequent movers facing mobility or record-access issues

    As of the publication of this article, the latest version of the bill awaits Senate consideration and no vote has been scheduled. Passage faces significant hurdles and President Trump has threatened an executive order mandating the ID requirements if the Senate fails.

    If you would like your feelings to be heard on this issue, contact your Senator now. Will the new requirements affect you? Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on social media.

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    This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline "This new legislation could affect millions of Ohio voters. Here’s how."