The White House is pressing Congress to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration and a photo ID to cast a ballot. The measure has already cleared the House.
Proponents say existing citizenship verification processes are weak. A 1996 federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, but enforcement remains uneven. All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare under penalty of perjury that they are citizens.
Donald Palmer, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, argues that thousands of noncitizen voters are already registered and points to prosecutions for illegal voting as evidence that stronger requirements are needed. Some states have reported that tens of thousands of noncitizens were mistakenly added to voter rolls, though the precise number and current status of those registrations remain contested.
States are moving faster than Congress. Florida will require, starting Jan. 1, 2027, that election officials verify whether prospective voters provided proof of citizenship when applying for a driver's license or state ID. Those who did not must produce proof to register. Accepted documents include a valid U.S. passport, a naturalization certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a state ID showing citizenship. Voters who cast ballots without proof will receive a provisional ballot, counted only if proof arrives by 5 p.m. on the second day after the election.
Arizona requires proof of citizenship at registration to vote in state and local elections. Applicants who attest to citizenship but fail to provide proof become "federal only" voters, eligible solely for federal races. Those relocating must also provide proof when re-registering.
Alabama passed a citizenship proof law in 2011 but had not implemented it as of July 2026.
