A newly proposed bill in Congress could impact the ability of married American women to register to vote in upcoming elections. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) introduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which seeks to amend the National Voter Registration Act to ensure that only American citizens can register to vote.

Potential impact on married women

A key provision of the SAVE Act requires voter registration applicants to present documentation proving citizenship. However, a significant number of married women in the U.S. have changed their legal names after marriage, leading to discrepancies between their birth certificates and other forms of identification.

According to the Center for American Progress, nearly 69 million married women in the U.S. have legally changed their names post-marriage. The proposed legislation does not recognize marriage certificates or proof of name change as valid documentation, which could make it difficult for these women to vote.

Roy’s response and alternative verification options

Defending the bill, Roy stated that it “provides multiple ways for individuals to prove citizenship and explicitly directs states to establish a process for those facing discrepancies due to name changes.”

Acceptable proof of identity under the SAVE Act

The proposed legislation lists the following documents as acceptable forms of identification for voter registration:

• A form of identification compliant with the REAL ID Act of 2005
• A valid U.S. passport
• A valid military ID
• Forms of tribal identification
• Proof of naturalization

With the exception of passports, many of these documents require a birth certificate or must be presented alongside one, further complicating the process for individuals whose legal names differ from those on their birth certificates.