February 19, 2026 - OAKLAND — On Wednesday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Senate to reject the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, warning that the legislation would nationalize election administration, impose sweeping new barriers to voter registration, and disenfranchise millions of eligible Americans. Although President Donald Trump and many Congressional Republicans allege that the SAVE America Act is needed to bolster “election integrity,” extensive audits, court decisions, and bipartisan election officials have repeatedly confirmed that U.S. elections are already secure and that voter fraud is exceedingly rare. Today’s letter follows an earlier letter by Attorney General Bonta opposing a previous version of the SAVE America Act.

Among other things, the SAVE America Act would require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship — such as a valid U.S. passport, a birth certificate, or other qualifying documentation — in person for every new registration or update. Driver’s licenses, including REAL IDs, and military or tribal IDs alone would not suffice. This legislation shifts the burden of verifying eligibility away from government systems and onto individual citizens, forcing millions to prove their right to vote before being allowed to participate in our democracy. For example, more than 140 million Americans do not possess a valid passport. Additionally, an estimated 69 million women who have adopted their spouse’s last name do not have a birth certificate that reflects their current legal name. Over 60 million Americans live in rural areas, often too far from government offices to easily visit in person.

“The SAVE America Act is a full-fledged attack on the right to vote. I urge the U.S. Senate to do the right thing and oppose it,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The reality is that our elections are already secure, safeguarded by multiple layers of protection. However, in recent months, President Trump’s efforts to undermine our democracy have increased. His FBI has seized ballots and election records in Fulton County. He has called on Republicans to 'nationalize' voting. He has continued to spread lies about the 2020 election being stolen. President Trump and Congressional Republicans see the writing on the wall — that they are likely to lose in the upcoming midterms — and they are pushing to make it harder for people to vote. We cannot stand idly by. We have a responsibility to safeguard the voting rights that generations before us sacrificed to achieve.” 

For more than two centuries, election administration has been a core function of the states, a power rooted in the Constitution and in our historic role as guardians of public trust, ballot access, and election integrity. In the letter, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition underscore that states are best positioned to manage voter registration systems, verify eligibility, and respond to the unique needs of their communities. In addition, citizenship is already a requirement to vote in federal elections and non-citizen voting is extremely rare. State election officials routinely verify eligibility using data from motor vehicle agencies, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and other sources.

The attorneys general warn that the legislation would create significant obstacles for eligible voters, including:

• Requiring documentation, such as passports or birth certificates, that can be cost-prohibitive and must perfectly match current names.
• Mandating in-person presentation of citizenship documents, effectively eliminating online voter registration systems currently available in 42 states.
• Creating barriers for married women and persons whose birth certificates don't match their current names.
• Requiring the presentation of a valid government-issued photo ID to cast a ballot in person, or presentation of a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID when casting a mail ballot.

The attorneys general also highlight concerns about the substantial administrative and financial burdens the Act would place on state election systems. The legislation would require states to fundamentally restructure their voter registration procedures and create new systems for document verification, while criminalizing mistakes made by election officials with penalties of up to five years in prison. And it would require states to undergo these monumental changes before the 2026 midterm elections. 

Joining Attorney General Bonta in sending today’s letter are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington.

Source: CA. DOJ