House passes elections overhaul bill that could make it harder for married women to votehttps://19thnews.org/2026/02/house-passes-save-america-act-married-women-vote/ 🔗The 19th - Marissa Martinez
February 11, 2026
The House on Wednesday passed the SAVE America Act, which would implement strict limitations on voter registration and casting a ballot — including new rules that could make it more difficult for married women or LGBTQ+ people to register if they've changed their names.
Voting rights groups have said the bill would pose a barrier for millions of American women and others who have changed their legal names because of marriage, assimilation or to better align with their gender identity. An estimated 69 million American women and 4 million men do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name.
The SAVE America Act requires voters to provide documents proving their citizenship at the time of registration. Many otherwise eligible citizens do not have access to the required documents, such as an unexpired passport. Birth certificates are also one of the few options to prove a registrant's identity, but they often do not reflect a married person's or LGBTQ+ individual's current legal name once they have changed it. While there are ways to further corroborate one's identity, some experts warn the bureaucratic burden may turn people off registering altogether due to complications — preventing citizens from being able to cast a ballot.--------------------------
One concern is that the bill would take effect immediately. That puts state elections offices in a bind, as they must comply with new requirements before the next election. Voters who may be affected would not have time to obtain corrected documents before the election. In many states, voting has already begun, so changing mid-cycle creates more problems.
