119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 22 
AN ACT 
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to 
require proof of United States citizenship to register 
an individual to vote in elections for Federal office, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safeguard American 
Voter Eligibility Act’’ or the ‘‘SAVE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ENSURING ONLY CITIZENS ARE REGISTERED TO 
VOTE IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE. 
(a) DEFINITION
OF
DOCUMENTARY
PROOF
OF 
UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP.—Section 3 of the National 
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20502) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘As used’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) IN 
GENERAL.—As used’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) DOCUMENTARY PROOF
OF UNITED STATES 
CITIZENSHIP.—As used in this Act, the term ‘documen-
tary proof of United States citizenship’ means, with re-
spect to an applicant for voter registration, any of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) A form of identification issued consistent 
with the requirements of the REAL ID Act of 2005 
that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United 
States. 
‘‘(2) A valid United States passport. 
‘‘(3) The applicant’s official United States mili-
tary identification card, together with a United 
States military record of service showing that the 
applicant’s place of birth was in the United States.
‘‘(4) A valid government-issued photo identifica-
tion card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal gov-
ernment showing that the applicant’s place of birth 
was in the United States. 
‘‘(5) A valid government-issued photo identifica-
tion card issued by a Federal, State or Tribal gov-
ernment other than an identification described in 
paragraphs (1) through (4), but only if presented to-
gether with one or more of the following: 
‘‘(A) A certified birth certificate issued by 
a State, a unit of local government in a State, 
or a Tribal government which— 
‘‘(i) was issued by the State, unit of 
local government, or Tribal government in 
which the applicant was born; 
‘‘(ii) was filed with the office respon-
sible for keeping vital records in the State; 
‘‘(iii) includes the full name, date of 
birth, and place of birth of the applicant; 
‘‘(iv) lists the full names of one or 
both of the parents of the applicant; 
‘‘(v) has the signature of an individual 
who is authorized to sign birth certificates 
on behalf of the State, unit of local govern-
ment, or Tribal government in which the 
applicant was born; 
‘‘(vi) includes the date that the certifi-
cate was filed with the office responsible 
for keeping vital records in the State; and 
‘‘(vii) has the seal of the State, unit 
of local government, or Tribal government 
that issued the birth certificate. 
‘‘(B) An extract from a United States hos-
pital Record of Birth created at the time of the 
applicant’s birth which indicates that the appli-
cant’s place of birth was in the United States. 
‘‘(C) A final adoption decree showing the 
applicant’s name and that the applicant’s place 
of birth was in the United States. 
‘‘(D) A Consular Report of Birth Abroad 
of a citizen of the United States or a certifi-
cation of the applicant’s Report of Birth of a 
United States citizen issued by the Secretary of 
State. 
‘‘(E) A Naturalization Certificate or Cer-
tificate of Citizenship issued by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security or any other document or 
method of proof of United States citizenship
issued by the Federal government pursuant to 
the Immigration and Nationality Act. 
‘‘(F) An American Indian Card issued by 
the Department of Homeland Security with the 
classification ‘KIC’.’’. 
(b) IN GENERAL.—Section 4 of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20503) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (c)’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (c); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(b) REQUIRING APPLICANTS TO PRESENT DOCU-
MENTARY PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP.— 
Under any method of voter registration in a State, the 
State shall not accept and process an application to reg-
ister to vote in an election for Federal office unless the 
applicant presents documentary proof of United States 
citizenship with the application.’’. 
(c) REGISTRATION WITH APPLICATION FOR MOTOR 
VEHICLE DRIVER’S LICENSE.—Section 5 of the National 
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20504) is 
amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘Each 
State motor vehicle driver’s license application’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Subject to the requirements under section 
8(j), each State motor vehicle driver’s license appli-
cation’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘Each 
State shall include’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to the 
requirements under section 8(j), each State shall in-
clude’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)(2)(B)— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(B) in clause (ii), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(iii) verify that the applicant is a citizen 
of the United States;’’; 
(4) in subsection (c)(2)(C)(i), by striking ‘‘(in-
cluding citizenship)’’ and inserting ‘‘, including the 
requirement that the applicant provides documentary 
proof of United States citizenship’’; and 
(5) in subsection (c)(2)(D)(iii), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘, other than as 
evidence in a criminal proceeding or immigration
proceeding brought against an applicant who know-
ingly attempts to register to vote and knowingly 
makes a false declaration under penalty of perjury 
that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements 
to register to vote in an election for Federal office; 
and’’. 
(d) REQUIRING DOCUMENTARY PROOF OF UNITED 
STATES CITIZENSHIP WITH NATIONAL MAIL VOTER 
REGISTRATION FORM.—Section 6 of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20505) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Each State shall accept 
and use’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to the require-
ments under section 8(j), each State shall ac-
cept and use’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Federal Election Commis-
sion’’ and inserting ‘‘Election Assistance Com-
mission’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘The chief State election official of a 
State shall take such steps as may be necessary to 
ensure that residents of the State are aware of the 
requirement to provide documentary proof of United 
States citizenship to register to vote in elections for 
Federal office in the State.’’;
(3) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(C) the person did not provide documentary 
proof of United States citizenship when registering 
to vote.’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) ENSURING PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZEN-
SHIP.— 
‘‘(1) PRESENTING PROOF OF UNITED STATES 
CITIZENSHIP TO ELECTION OFFICIAL.—An applicant 
who submits the mail voter registration application 
form prescribed by the Election Assistance Commis-
sion pursuant to section 9(a)(2) or a form described 
in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall not 
be registered to vote in an election for Federal office 
unless— 
‘‘(A) the applicant presents documentary 
proof of United States citizenship in person to 
the office of the appropriate election official not
later than the deadline provided by State law 
for the receipt of a completed voter registration 
application for the election; or 
‘‘(B) in the case of a State which permits 
an individual to register to vote in an election 
for Federal office at a polling place on the day 
of the election and on any day when voting, in-
cluding early voting, is permitted for the elec-
tion, the applicant presents documentary proof 
of United States citizenship to the appropriate 
election official at the polling place not later 
than the date of the election. 
‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT.—Upon 
receiving an otherwise completed mail voter registra-
tion application form prescribed by the Election As-
sistance Commission pursuant to section 9(a)(2) or 
a form described in paragraph (1) or (2) of sub-
section (a), the appropriate election official shall 
transmit a notice to the applicant of the requirement 
to present documentary proof of United States citi-
zenship under this subsection, and shall include in 
the notice instructions to enable the applicant to 
meet the requirement. 
‘‘(3) ACCESSIBILITY.—Each State shall, in con-
sultation with the Election Assistance Commission,
ensure that reasonable accommodations are made to 
allow an individual with a disability who submits the 
mail voter registration application form prescribed 
by the Election Assistance Commission pursuant to 
section 9(a)(2) or a form described in paragraph (1) 
or (2) of subsection (a) to present documentary 
proof of United States citizenship to the appropriate 
election official.’’. 
(e) REQUIREMENTS
FOR
VOTER
REGISTRATION 
AGENCIES.—Section 7 of the National Voter Registration 
Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20506) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (4)(A), by adding at the 
end the following new clause: 
‘‘(iv) Receipt of documentary proof of United 
States citizenship of each applicant to register to 
vote in elections for Federal office in the State.’’; 
and 
(B) in paragraph (6)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A)(i)(I), by strik-
ing ‘‘(including citizenship)’’ and inserting 
‘‘, including the requirement that the ap-
plicant provides documentary proof of 
United States citizenship’’; and
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph 
(B) as subparagraph (C); and 
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(A) the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) ask the applicant the question, ‘Are you a 
citizen of the United States?’ and if the applicant 
answers in the affirmative require documentary 
proof of United States citizenship prior to providing 
the form under subparagraph (C);’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ‘‘who are 
citizens of the United States’’ after ‘‘for persons’’. 
(f) REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO ADMINISTRA-
TION OF VOTER REGISTRATION.—Section 8 of the Na-
tional Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘In the administration of 
voter registration’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to 
the requirements of subsection (j), in the ad-
ministration of voter registration’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘or’’ at the end; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following 
new subparagraphs:
‘‘(D) based on documentary proof or 
verified information that the registrant is not a 
United States citizen; or 
‘‘(E) the registration otherwise fails to 
comply with applicable State law;’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (j) as sub-
section (l); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (i) the fol-
lowing new subsections: 
‘‘(j) ENSURING ONLY CITIZENS ARE REGISTERED 
TO VOTE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this Act, a State may not register an in-
dividual to vote in elections for Federal office held 
in the State unless, at the time the individual ap-
plies to register to vote, the individual provides docu-
mentary proof of United States citizenship. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL
PROCESSES
IN
CERTAIN 
CASES.— 
‘‘(A) PROCESS FOR THOSE WITHOUT DOC-
UMENTARY PROOF.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to any rel-
evant guidance adopted by the Election As-
sistance Commission, each State shall es-
tablish a process under which an applicant