State conservatives are advancing their own versions of the SAVE Act as the U.S. Senate stalls.
The federal SAVE Act would require voter ID and proof of citizenship for voter registration, and it has passed the U.S. House multiple times. But the Senate has repeatedly failed to bring it up for a vote, according to the source.
That has pushed state officials to move on their own. Multiple states have passed SAVE-style laws, and the State Freedom Caucus Network says it is advancing legislation in Arizona, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Rep. Keith Self said the states 'have to take action' because it is 'so difficult' at the federal level to get laws through. Andrew Roth, president of the State Freedom Caucus Network, said 'the Swamp still controls the agenda' in state capitols and said the biggest reason for the SAVE Act is that it is needed in blue states.
So far, the laws have been passed in South Dakota, Wyoming, Florida, Mississippi, Utah, Kansas and Ohio. Arizona voters will vote on their ballot question on SAVE laws this November. The laws apply to state elections only and do not affect federal voter registration or federal election eligibility.
Why it matters: election rules are being decided where Washington will not act. For conservatives, that is a feature, not a bug. For everyone else, it means the battle over voter access and election integrity is shifting to the states — and blue states remain the real hurdle.