SAVE Act Opposition – Why Michigan and 17 States Say It’s Dangerous

Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined 17 other AGs to oppose the SAVE Act, arguing it threatens voter access by requiring proof of citizenship to register. The law could disenfranchise millions, particularly affecting marginalized communities and active-duty military voters.

Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a national coalition against the SAVE Act, calling it a threat to voter access and election fairness. Michigan’s top legal official joins 17 other AGs in fighting a proposed federal law that could block millions of eligible voters from casting ballots.

Michigan Attorney General Slams SAVE Act as Disenfranchisement Tool

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has taken a clear stand against H.R. 22, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, joining 17 other attorneys general in voicing opposition to a federal bill they say would severely restrict voter access.

The SAVE Act would amend the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. Critics, including Nessel, argue the bill would reverse nearly three decades of voting access reforms, potentially disenfranchising millions of eligible voters, particularly those in marginalized and vulnerable communities.

“This law doesn’t protect democracy—it sabotages it,” Nessel said. “Michigan has built a system that’s secure and accessible. The SAVE Act would tear that down.”

Proposed Law Could Hit Poor, Women, and Military Voters the Hardest

At the core of the opposition is concern over how the SAVE Act would disproportionately impact certain groups. The bill would require documentation such as a passport or birth certificate—documents that more than 21 million voting-age U.S. citizens lack, according to the letter sent by the coalition of AGs to Congress.

Married women, particularly those who have changed their names, could also face hurdles, as their legal documents might not match their current names precisely. Furthermore, requiring in-person verification could effectively eliminate online voter registration, currently used in 42 states, including Michigan.

For active-duty military personnel, especially those deployed overseas, the SAVE Act could make it nearly impossible to vote if they’re required to present citizenship documentation in person.

Non-Citizen Voting Rare, But Election System Burdens Could Grow

Supporters of the SAVE Act claim it’s necessary to prevent non-citizens from voting. However, multiple studies have shown that such instances are statistically insignificant. One study found that in jurisdictions with high immigrant populations, non-citizens accounted for only 0.0001% of votes.

Nessel and the other AGs also warned that the administrative burdens on states would be immense. Election systems would need restructuring to accommodate new document verification processes. Mistakes by election officials could even lead to criminal charges, with penalties up to five years in prison.

“This isn’t just restrictive—it’s punitive,” said Nessel. “We’re talking about criminalizing public servants for administrative errors.”

Michigan at the Forefront of Pushback Against Voter Restrictions

Michigan, a state that has expanded voting access in recent years through Proposal 3 of 2018, which enshrined no-reason absentee voting and same-day voter registration, would face serious disruptions under the SAVE Act. The law threatens to invalidate much of that progress.

The coalition’s letter, spearheaded by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, includes signatures from the AGs of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

This growing front of legal opposition indicates that the battle over the SAVE Act is shaping up to be one of the major voting rights conflicts heading into the 2026 midterms.

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