There is suddenly real momentum behind the SAVE America Act in the Senate, and it all hinges on one vote.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has now committed to supporting the bill, giving Republicans the 50 votes they need to move it forward. With Vice President JD Vance able to cast a tie breaking vote, that puts the legislation within striking distance of becoming law.
Collins had previously been undecided. That is not unusual for her. But in comments to The Maine Wire, she made clear that the current version of the SAVE Act addressed her earlier concerns.
“The law is clear that in this country only American citizens are eligible to vote in federal elections,” Collins said. “In addition, having people provide an ID at the polls, just as they have to do before boarding an airplane, checking into a hotel, or buying an alcoholic beverage, is a simple reform that will improve the security of our federal elections and will help give people more confidence in the results.”
That comparison hits home. Americans show ID for everyday activities without controversy. Yet requiring proof of citizenship and identification to vote somehow triggers outrage from the left.
Collins explained that she had opposed an earlier draft of the bill that would have required voters to produce passports or birth certificates every time they cast a ballot. “Requiring voters to produce passports or birth certificates on election day — as opposed to just a state-issued ID — would have placed an unnecessary burden on the voters,” she said. That provision has since been removed, which she described as “key to getting my support.”
With Collins on board, Republicans now have 50 votes. That is enough to pass the bill if they can navigate the procedural minefield of the Senate. The big question is whether Senate Majority Leader John Thune will force Democrats into a standing filibuster.
If he does, it would require only 51 votes to prevail, rather than the usual 60 vote threshold needed to break a filibuster. In that scenario, Republicans would need to hold their 50 members together and rely on Vice President Vance to break the tie.
Supporters argue that putting Democrats on the floor to publicly debate voter ID could be politically potent. Polling has consistently shown broad public support for requiring identification to vote. Framing the debate as a choice between election integrity and obstruction could put pressure on vulnerable Democrats.
The SAVE America Act would require documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and mandate photo identification for in person voting. It is not a radical overhaul. It is a reinforcement of existing law that says only citizens may vote in federal elections.
Now the ball is in Senate leadership’s court. The votes appear to be there. The question is whether Republicans are willing to force the showdown and see it through.
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