What Battleground Voters Really Think About Election Integrity

A new poll conducted in five battleground states finds majority support for requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, a key provision of the SAVE America Act.

The survey, commissioned by Heritage Action, polled Republican, Democrat, and independent voters in Alaska, Georgia, Maine, Ohio, and North Carolina. The legislation passed the House with widespread Republican support and one Democrat voting in favor, and now faces a tougher path in the Senate, where it must clear the 60-vote filibuster threshold.

Sixty-nine percent of likely voters in Alaska and Georgia support “requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections,” along with 71% in Ohio, 68% in North Carolina, and 65% in Maine, according to the poll.

When respondents were told the SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship and a “valid ID” to vote in federal elections, support remained above 60% in all five states: 67% in North Carolina, 65% in Georgia, 64% in Alaska, 63% in Maine, and 62% in Ohio.

Opposition was highest in Maine at 26%. In each of the five states, 16% or fewer respondents said they were unsure or had no opinion.

The poll also found strong opposition to noncitizen voting. Seventy-seven percent of Alaskans, 73% of Mainers, 71% of North Carolinians, 69% of Ohioans, and 67% of Georgians said they oppose allowing noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections.

The survey included 11 questions related to the SAVE America Act and election administration policies. After being presented with additional information about the legislation, a majority of those polled said they would “be more likely to support re-election of your U.S. Senators if they voted in favor of the SAVE America Act.”

Stefani Buhajla, senior director of communications and marketing at Heritage Action, argued that the poll shows broad support for the legislation.

“The electorate is not divided,” she said. “More than 70 percent of likely voters oppose non-citizen voting.”

She added that voters were more likely to reward senators for supporting the bill than to punish them for backing it, and urged opponents to block the measure “in full public view” rather than resort to procedural maneuvers.

Each of the five states features a competitive Senate race in November. The Cook Political Report ranks the races in Georgia, Maine, and North Carolina as toss-ups, while Alaska and Ohio’s contests as “Lean Republican.”

Many Democrats have opposed the SAVE America Act, arguing that requiring documentary proof of citizenship could make it more difficult for some eligible Americans to vote.

“The SAVE America Act would radically upend voter registration nationwide by requiring Americans to present documentary proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, in person for every new registration or update. Driver’s licenses, including REAL IDs, and military or tribal IDs alone would not suffice,” a group of Democrat attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Leticia James, wrote in a letter last week to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

“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,” the attorneys general wrote, adding that “instances of noncitizen voting are exceedingly rare and have never been shown to affect election outcomes.”