“Elections should be for American citizens” — Hudson backs SAVE Act push for proof of citizenship and voter ID, citing public support
WASHINGTON — Rep. Richard Hudson, a North Carolina Republican and a leading voice on election legislation, is promoting a renewed GOP push to tighten federal voting rules, arguing that federal elections “should be for American citizens” and calling for proof of U.S. citizenship and photo identification requirements.
Elections should be for American citizens.
— Rep. Richard Hudson (@RepRichHudson) February 11, 2026
The SAVE Act makes photo ID the standard to vote in federal elections and requires proof of U.S. citizenship to register. It also makes states clean up voter rolls regularly. Simple, secure, and fair. pic.twitter.com/P4JpabcTat
In a post Tuesday, Hudson highlighted the SAVE Act effort, saying it would “make photo ID the standard to vote in federal elections” and “require proof of U.S. citizenship to register.” He also said the measure would require states to “clean up voter rolls regularly,” describing the approach as “simple, secure, and fair.”
Hudson’s message comes as House Republicans press ahead with legislation that would require documentary proof of citizenship as a condition of registering to vote in federal elections — a policy supporters say is necessary to increase confidence in elections, even as election experts note that voting by noncitizens in federal contests is already illegal and is considered rare.
The underlying bill language behind the earlier “SAVE Act” framework would bar states from accepting and processing federal voter registration applications unless applicants present approved documents proving U.S. citizenship. It also calls for states to take ongoing steps to ensure only eligible citizens are registered, including removing noncitizens from voter rolls, and it creates civil and criminal penalties tied to registration violations.
In 2026, Republicans have also pushed a closely related version described as the “SAVE America Act,” which proponents say adds a nationwide voter ID requirement for federal elections while preserving the proof-of-citizenship requirement for registration.
Hudson’s post also featured a claim that “83% of Americans” support requiring proof of citizenship to vote. Polling has shown broad support for voter ID and for proof-of-citizenship requirements in certain contexts, including a Gallup poll cited by PBS NewsHour reporting that found 83% of voters supported requiring people registering for the first time to provide proof of citizenship.
Democrats and voting-rights advocates argue the proposal would create new barriers for eligible voters who do not have ready access to documents such as a passport or birth certificate, or who face delays and costs in obtaining replacements. A national survey analysis cited in PBS reporting put the figure at about 21.3 million citizens who don’t have proof of citizenship readily available. Critics have also raised concerns about implementation burdens for state election offices and the risk of eligible voters being caught up in roll-maintenance errors.
Supporters counter that requiring proof of citizenship at registration is a commonsense safeguard and say standardized rules would prevent loopholes across states. They also argue that voter roll maintenance is a basic administrative responsibility that should be routine, not controversial.
Even if the bill advances in the House, its path in the Senate remains uncertain, where procedural hurdles and partisan divisions have repeatedly stalled major election overhauls.
