Who Is Harmed
The SAVE Act does not affect all voters equally.
An estimated 21.3 million voting-age U.S. citizens — 9.1% — cannot quickly locate any document qualifying under the SAVE Act.
Source: Brennan Center for Justice, “Citizens Without Proof,” updated analysis (2024).
Who is affected
The groups below face specific barriers to obtaining the documents the SAVE Act would require. Select a group to learn more.
Affected estimates sourced from Brennan Center for Justice, U.S. Census Bureau, and advocacy organization research. Last updated June 2026.
21.3M
U.S. citizens lacking readily available qualifying documents
146M
Americans without a current, valid U.S. passport
69M
Women whose current legal name may not match their birth certificate
3.8M
Citizens who lack any qualifying document entirely