Senate Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, voted against a voter ID amendment to the SAVE America Act in the early hours of Saturday morning. The vote occurred amidst a flurry of late-session legislative activity as the Senate prepared to recess.
Republicans had sought to advance a streamlined voter ID bill proposed by Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, which would have required individuals to present valid identification to cast a ballot in federal elections. The proposed identification methods included unexpired driver's licenses, state-issued ID cards, valid passports, military or veteran IDs, and tribal IDs.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, a proponent of the SAVE America Act, highlighted past statements from Democrats, including Schumer, expressing support for voter identification requirements. Schumer himself stated in March that "Democrats support voter ID" and pointed to its inclusion in previous legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act.
Despite these past assertions, all Senate Democrats voted against Husted's amendment. This vote occurred as Republicans have faced repeated roadblocks in passing the broader SAVE America Act, which is considered a top legislative priority for former President Donald Trump. Trump had urged the passage of the act, stating it should be approved "before it is too late."
The amendment's failure comes as lawmakers are heading into a recess period, with their return scheduled for early September, shortly before the midterm elections. According to the source, 36 states currently have voter ID laws in place, with 23 requiring photo identification and 13 accepting other forms of identification. Nine of these states have Democratic senators.
This is not the first time Democrats have opposed Husted's voter ID bill. A similar attempt to attach the amendment to the SAVE America Act in March also failed largely along party lines.