Even as the midterms quickly approach, Republicans still have an opportunity to do something incredible for election integrity. Democrats certainly never will.
A quick search of Gallup’s website reveals that roughly 80% of Americans support voter ID laws. In fact, going back to at least 2016, poll after poll after poll shows basically the same result. Pew Research Center found the same thing, as did Fox News and CBS. I could go on, but suffice it to say it’s a landslide issue, a no-brainer that crosses party, race, and sex lines.
Republicans should draft and pass a simple bill requiring states to mandate that voters present photo identification when casting a ballot or requesting a mail-in ballot. Keep it at that — and only that.
The SAVE America Act, successor to the SAVE Act, and the alternative MEGA Act all add to this requirement. The MEGA Act goes the furthest, with provisions to end universal mail-in voting, require states to regularly purge voter lists, mandate paper ballots, ban ranked-choice voting, and more. Those are worthy goals, but not here.
If I had my druthers, American citizens would present a photo ID to cast a paper ballot in person on Election Day, with strict oversight of citizenship requirements and voter lists.
But that’s not popular. The same polls that show voter ID as heavily favored also reveal that Americans want mail-in ballots and early voting. In short, most Americans want voting to be verified but as easy as possible.
Given that, Republicans ought to focus on what’s popular and get it done. Now. Stop dithering.
The SAVE America Act doesn’t go as far afield as MEGA, but even that lets Democrats circle the wagons and stall it. One major objection that crosses party lines is that the bill gives individuals the right to sue election officials and provides for criminal penalties against election officials. Those provisions may have some merit, but they could also open Pandora’s Box against good people who volunteer to work the polls. Republicans should make the concession, remove these provisions from the bill, and take the win.
Yes, there are numerous issues related to election integrity, but ID alone would go a long way to ensuring that elections are accurate and fair.
Don’t get me wrong. The SAVE America Act is worthwhile, and it’s not Republicans’ fault that Democrats fight tooth and nail to oppose election integrity. Democrats win by rigging the game in their favor, and they’re not about to give up that advantage.
The White House was right in February: “Despite overwhelming popular support across every demographic, Radical Left Democrat politicians continue to block these reforms, placing partisan politics above the clear will of the American people — including their own voters — and above the basic security of our elections.”
Indeed, the reason I’m writing about this today is a new Daily Signal report about left-wing lobbying efforts:
Federal lobbying disclosures show that labor unions, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, pro-abortion groups, and left-leaning advocacy organizations lobbied against the SAVE America Act during the second quarter of 2026. The legislation stalled in Congress this year.
The Signal has a list with the receipts:
Traditional leftist advocacy and election-focused organizations were among the 26 that lobbied against the bill, including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the American Library Association, Common Cause, the National Council of Jewish Women, MoveOn.org Civic Action, the Young Women’s Christian Association, Democracy 21, the ACLU, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Yet lobbying also came from the LGBTQ+ group Human Rights Campaign, the climate group League of Conservation Voters, the abortion group Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and the seniors’ advocacy group National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and the Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.
The coalition included some of America’s largest labor unions: the AFL-CIO; the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; the American Federation of Teachers; Communications Workers of America; the National Education Association; and National Nurses United.
Representative Chip Roy, who authored the SAVE America Act, noted, “They know that allowing illegal aliens to vote in our elections gives Democrats the best shot at reclaiming power.”
And his Senate coauthor, Senator Mike Lee, agreed in a written statement: “Why would a large coalition of leftwing groups, all of which support Democrats and are supported by Democrats — sometimes using your tax dollars — be so worried at the prospect of stopping illegal non-citizen voting in American elections? To ask the question is to answer it.”
Obviously, we need to secure American elections. That’s why I argue for slimming the effort down to voter ID alone. Move the ball forward. Accomplish something.
Left-wing groups will still object, but if all Congress is voting on is an ID law, Republicans can repeatedly hammer home that it has the support of 80% of Americans. That’s a much easier sell.
Here’s a reminder of the importance of election integrity from recent news that we’ve covered.
The Justice Department just arrested more than 200 people for voter fraud. Leftmedia outlets basically tell us fraud doesn’t happen because it’s illegal, and they point to this story to scoff that it’s a drop in the bucket. But how do they know it’s rare? Many states not only do nothing to prevent fraud but practically encourage it.
To wit, New Jersey “accidentally” registered 6,600 noncitizens to vote. And California Democrats are rigging the game against voter ID and citizenship requirements on the ballot this November by changing language to stoke opposition.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has rebuked President Donald Trump’s efforts to corral mail-in ballot chaos.
Congress must do something, and Republicans could if they’d simplify their messaging. “Voter ID is not controversial in this country,” conceded CNN’s Harry Enten earlier this year. “It is not controversial by party, and it is not controversial by race. The vast majority of Americans agree.”
Dear Republicans: Pass voter ID. With a victory in hand, use the momentum to win the next one. But for the love of Pete, don’t just stand there!
