Voter ID & Proof of Citizenship: The Lynchpin that Saves the Republic

In less than a year—on November 3, 2026—the fate of Congress and President Donald J. Trump’s legacy will hang by a thread. Every one of the 435 House districts and 33 Senate seats will be on the ballot, along with five non-voting delegates, in what may be the most precarious midterm of the modern era. Republicans hold the narrowest of majorities: 219–212 in the House (with four vacancies) and 53–45 in the Senate (with two independents caucusing with Democrats). The math is unforgiving. Democrats need a net gain of just four seats in each chamber to reclaim control. Republicans can afford to lose only two.

That’s how fragile the balance is—and how consequential every single vote becomes. As Julia Mueller reported in The Hill in 2022, “TargetSmart’s Tom Bonier calculated that Democrats could have held the House if just 3,340 Republican voters instead cast their ballots for Democrats in the five closest House races won by Republicans.” In other words, a few thousand votes—less than a single high school gym’s worth of people—can flip the entire direction of the nation.

With trust in elections at record lows—Gallup found in November 2025 that only 28% of Americans are confident their congressional vote is counted accurately, down from 59% in 2004—the system cannot afford one more ounce of doubt. The solution is simple, constitutional, and globally proven: voter ID and proof of U.S. citizenship.

Require Proof of Citizenship for Voting in Order to Reopen the Government or End the Filibuster to Pass the SAVE Act (H.R. 22/S. 128)

As the 42-day government shutdown is potentially ending, Congress must not reopen federal operations without attaching the SAVE Act (H.R. 22/S. 128) as an ironclad condition. The SAVE Act was passed by the House on April 10 in a 220-208 vote, then sponsored in the Senate by Senator Mike Lee with 30 Republican co-sponsors—and simply requires documentary proof of citizenship (passport, birth certificate, or REAL ID) to register for federal elections, amends the 1993 National Voter Registration Act to block non-citizen applications, mandates removal of illegals from voter rolls, and empowers citizens to sue non-compliant officials. Tying reopening to SAVE’s passage is the only way to force a vote, bypass Chuck Schumer’s obstruction, and fulfill President Trump’s call to secure elections. Reopening the government without guaranteeing only citizens vote is a betrayal of American sovereignty—pass the SAVE Act now or keep the doors closed until election integrity is non-negotiable.

The 2026 Stakes: Control Hangs by a Thread

A single fraudulent district in Ohio, Georgia, or Arizona could determine control of Congress, judicial confirmations, or even the outcome of impeachment trials. This is not speculation—it’s statistical reality. In this razor-thin environment, election integrity is a matter of national security.

That’s why Congress must immediately pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act—H.R. 22—introduced on January 3, 2025. It is the most straightforward and comprehensive election integrity bill in modern history.

The SAVE Act requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. No one can register without it. Acceptable proof includes documents like a REAL ID-compliant identification card, passport, or birth certificate. States are also required to cross-check applications against USCIS, Social Security, and vital records databases to verify citizenship and remove ineligible voters. Imagine needing the same proof required to board a plane to vote in elections. This is not rocket science.

It even gives private citizens the right to sue officials who register non-citizens and imposes criminal penalties for those who knowingly do so. Think of it as the federal firewall against fraud.

Americans overwhelmingly agree. A Rasmussen Reports national survey found that 73% of likely voters support photo ID requirements to protect election integrity. Pair that with proof of citizenship at registration, and the Republic would finally have an ironclad system of election defense.

The Global Standard

The United States is the outlier when it comes to the lack of proof of citizenship and voter ID requirements in order to cast a vote. Every stable democracy verifies citizenship and requires a voter ID for national elections. Germany mandates its Personalausweis; France requires both an identity card and a birth record; India’s EPIC system is citizenship-linked and biometric; Mexico’s Credencial para Votar is proof-of-citizenship verified; and even Canada checks citizenship and photo ID at registration.

Meanwhile, the American system rests on a simple checkbox under penalty of perjury—no documentation required. Only eight states require proof of citizenship. The result? Documented breaches in Virginia, Georgia, and Texas involving thousands of non-citizen or duplicate votes and a mounting distrust of the election system in the United States. 

The Constitutional Fix

Under Article I, Section 4, Congress holds the authority to regulate the “Times, Places, and Manner” of federal elections. It is both constitutional and necessary for Congress to mandate voter ID and citizenship verification.

A Federal Election Integrity Act, built on the SAVE Act, would require photo ID at the polls and proof of citizenship to register—once and for all. Verification could be as simple as uploading a birth certificate or passport digitally, just as most Americans already do for Real ID (259 million have it). For those without standard documentation, the SAVE Act provides alternative forms such as military or tribal records.

Critics claim voter ID suppresses turnout. The data says otherwise. 

“When Georgia became one of the first states in the nation to demand a photo ID at the ballot box, both sides served up dire predictions. Opponents labeled it a Jim Crow-era tactic that would suppress the minority vote. Supporters insisted it was needed to combat fraud that imperiled the integrity of the election process…

Turnout among black and Hispanic voters increased from 2006 to 2010, dramatically outpacing population growth for those groups over the same period.

On the other hand, Georgia’s top elections official could not point to a single case of ballot fraud the voter ID law had prevented. (Emphasis added)

“It hasn’t had the voter-suppressing effect that some people feared,” Foley said. Conversely, he said, rhetoric about voter fraud has largely proven to be a “scare tactic” with little basis in fact.

Why the Checkbox Fails

Today’s “honor system” doesn’t work. The Department of Justice prosecuted fewer than 25 non-citizen voting cases between 2016 and 2024. Nineteen states automatically register DMV users without confirming citizenship. Sanctuary cities issue local IDs that can be used to register for federal elections. The SAVE Act’s mandatory verification and removal programs end this farce once and for all.

The 2026 Tipping Point

The stakes could not be higher. If just one-tenth of one percent of ballots in ten key districts are cast illegally, control of Congress could flip. One fraudulent vote in Montana or Ohio could determine the Senate majority—and with it, the fate of Supreme Court appointments, national spending, and future faux impeachment attempts by the radical left.

The Republic won’t collapse in a coup—it will erode quietly if we continue allowing ballots to be cast without proof of citizenship.

Zohran Mamdani: Warning to the United States of America

Zohran Mamdani’s win should be a warning sign to the nation that unfettered migration + no proof of citizenship to vote allows for communism to infiltrate our most precious city – New York City. Mamdani’s victory for the mayoral race in New York City underscores how lax voter verification standards enable non-citizens to vote.  Additionally, unchecked inflows of illegal immigration, thanks to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, sway elections, importing radical ideologies that threaten American values. Requiring strict voter ID laws with proof of citizenship is essential to safeguard electoral integrity, prevent foreign influence, and prevent our nation from descending into dangerous imported communist ideologies.

No Proof, No Funding

Congress faces a moral and constitutional choice: do not reopen the federal government without passing the SAVE Act. The solution is simple—tie government funding to election integrity. No SAVE Act, no spending.  The Schumer Shutdown has shown that the Democrats are not concerned with the quality of the lives of Americans, as House Minority Whip Catherine Clark said, “I mean, shutdowns are terrible and of course there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have”. 

To reopen the government while allowing non-citizens to vote would be a betrayal of the very idea of America.

Secure the Republic—Forever

Eighty percent of Americans—including 74% of Democrats and 69% of Black voters—support photo ID laws. The world has long since moved toward this standard. The United States must now do the same.

Citizenship for voting is not a suggestion. It is the foundation of the Republic. Verify citizenship once. Secure the republic.