Re-Print: When 83 Percent of Americans Speak, Will the Senate Listen?

Dr. Jimmy Lee Tillman II

The following opinion was originally published in the February 9, 2026 Washington Times.

In an era of deep political division, finding consensus on almost anything seems impossible. Yet there is one policy that unites Americans across party, race, and region: requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. According to Gallup, 83 percent of Americans support this basic safeguard. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act reflects that overwhelming consensus, but it has been quietly stalled in the Senate.

The SAVE Act addresses well-documented vulnerabilities in state voter registration systems by requiring states to obtain documentary proof of U.S. citizenship—such as a passport, birth certificate, or naturalization papers—before registering individuals to vote in federal elections. This is not radical. It is the same kind of verification standard Americans already accept in their daily lives when they board a plane, start a job, or enter a federal building.

The House passed the SAVE Act on April 10, 2025, by a vote of 220–208. Four Democrats crossed party lines to support it, reflecting the broad public agreement. Every Senate Republican has signed on as a co-sponsor. Yet the bill sits in the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, where Chairman Mitch McConnell has so far refused to schedule a markup. The gap between what voters demand and what Washington delivers grows wider each day this bill is ignored.

Conservative activists such as Scott Presler have spent years documenting weaknesses in voter registration systems that ought to concern every American, regardless of party. In states where noncitizens can obtain a driver’s license, for example, voter registration offers at the DMV are not always matched with rigorous citizenship checks. Research compiled by the America First Policy Institute shows that in August 2024 alone, more than 16,000 noncitizens were removed from the voter rolls in Texas, Alabama, and Virginia—illustrating how weak verification systems can allow ineligible registrations to pile up for years before they are finally caught.

When citizens believe their lawful votes might be cancelled out by ineligible ballots, confidence in the entire system begins to crumble. That mistrust does not stay confined to one election or one party; it lingers, festers, and eventually turns into cynicism about self-government itself. The SAVE Act is a straightforward way to rebuild trust by ensuring that American elections are decided by American citizens—period.

Opponents argue that requiring citizenship documentation will suppress turnout, especially among minorities and the poor. That claim ignores both reality and common sense. Most Americans already have the necessary documents, and many states routinely require identification for far less consequential activities—from buying certain cold medicines to picking up tickets at a ballgame. If we can insist on proof of identity and status for everyday transactions, we can certainly insist on it for something as sacred as voting for president or Congress.

This debate is no longer just about mechanics or paperwork. It is about whether elected officials still answer to the people who sent them to Washington. With the 2026 midterms approaching, voters will be able to see which senators fought for the overwhelming consensus of their constituents—and which hid behind parliamentary procedure to avoid taking a clear position.

President Trump has made election integrity and the SAVE Act a centerpiece of his agenda. Americans who returned him to the White House did so with the expectation that their senators would deliver results, not excuses. They expect action, not endless committee delay. If Senate Republicans cannot advance a bill that enjoys 83 percent public support, they will struggle to convince voters that they can deliver on anything more difficult.

The path forward is simple. Senator McConnell should schedule an immediate markup in the Rules Committee and commit to moving the SAVE Act to the floor before the Senate’s August recess. The full Senate should then hold an open debate and a recorded vote, so every American can see where their senator stands: with the 83 percent who support secure elections, or with a small Washington minority that prefers the status quo.

When four out of five Americans agree on something this fundamental, it stops being a partisan talking point and becomes a test of whether Washington still works at all. The Senate can choose to stand with the American people and secure our elections with a single, sensible standard. Or it can explain in November 2026 why it ignored the 83 percent who simply asked that their votes—and their country—be protected.

Dr. Jimmy Lee Tillman II is a Heritage Foundation Academy Fellow, a member of the America First Policy Institute, president of Martin Luther King Republicans, and author of Tillman’s Handbook of Great Black American Patriots. He is a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Illinois.

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