Better Safe Than Sorry: Elections Expert Urges Women to Prepare for the SAVE Act—Even If It’s Unlikely to Pass
August 26, 2025
Today is Women’s Equality Day—marking 105 years since the 19th Amendment granted some women the right to vote. Yet it’s important to remember that women of color were still excluded for decades afterward. It wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed 60 years ago this month, that discriminatory practices explicitly designed to keep people of color from voting were finally outlawed.
Now, new threats to voting access are emerging.
This past Spring, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Safeguard American Eligibility (SAVE) Act which, if enacted, would impose proof-of-citizenship requirements. This measure would disproportionately impact groups less likely to have a passport or certified birth certificate, including voters of color, older Americans, rural residents, and low-income individuals.
And for women, the potential for impact is especially severe. Anyone who has legally changed their name would need to provide additional documentation showing when and how their name changed. With an estimated 69 million women in the U.S. who have changed their names after marriage, this requirement could disenfranchise a massive portion of the electorate.
The Washington State Women’s Commission sat down with elections expert Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall to discuss the SAVE Act and what it could mean for women in Washington.
“I certainly haven’t experienced anything like this in my career, which spans 30 years,” said Hall.
The SAVE Act is set to go before the Senate, where its chances of passage are low unless rule changes occur. Still, Hall stresses the importance of being prepared: “I’m always a better safe than sorry type of person.”
If the SAVE Act were enacted, Hall warns, there would be a surge in requests at county recording departments and vital records offices, causing delays and stress for voters.
What Documents Should Women Have on Hand?
Hall explains if women have a passport or an enhanced driver’s license, that will work to register or re-register. If not, she encourages you ensure you have or seek the below documentation.
- Birth Certificate – Learn how to order yours through the Washington State Department of Health: Ordering a Birth Record | Washington State Department of Health.
- Marriage License – Start with the county auditor’s office where you were married. The Department of Health also provides marriage records from 1968 onward. (Tip: if you were married in the last five months, request records directly from the county, since it can take that long for DOH to process them.) See: Ordering a Marriage or Divorce Record | Washington State Department of Health.
Source: The SAVE Act Would Disenfranchise Millions of Citizens – Center for American Progress, Interview with Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall