Living in Wyoming, we don’t ask for much from our government. More freedom. Less regulation. But something that always makes the top of the list is a system that ensures our votes count.
In short, the integrity of our elections forms the bedrock of our nation’s trust in our republic.
This is why basic, common-sense election integrity reforms — including safeguards to ensure that only United States citizens and only Wyomingites are voting in our elections — are so important.
And it is for this reason that Congress’ recent reintroduction of the of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE) to protect our elections from illegal voting is pivotal for the people of Wyoming and our nation.
The SAVE Act, introduced by Chip Roy and supported by Wyoming, was considered and passed on the House floor this week. It ensures that we can protect and preserve the integrity of federal elections across the country.
To accomplish this key objective, the SAVE Act requires up-front, documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections as a critical safeguard to ensure non-citizens cannot illegally vote. The SAVE Act also mandates that states remove noncitizens from their voter rolls, providing them with the necessary resources to do so.
Importantly, the SAVE Act removes existing federal loopholes in the National Voter Registration Act that have actually been exploited to stop states from requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, providing for a uniform process and ensuring that each state’s elections are not diluted by the loose voter rolls of another.
President Trump has made clear that the SAVE Act is one of his most important priorities.
Although it previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024 with Wyoming’s full support, it ultimately stalled in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
With a new year, a new Republican majority in the Senate and President Trump in the White House, it is now the time to protect U.S. elections by requiring documentary proof of citizenship and ensuring noncitizens are removed from voter rolls.
The national consensus supports requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. In fact, Gallup recently released a poll showing that 83% of Americans support this common-sense election integrity proposal.
Building on the work of President Trump and the U.S. House’s efforts on the SAVE Act, Wyoming has become a nationwide leader on this issue. In response to calls from constituents across the Cowboy State demanding concrete action to protect our elections at all levels, Wyoming did just that.
During the 2025 legislative session, the Wyoming Legislature overwhelmingly passed House Bill 156, which requires proof of United States citizenship and proof of Wyoming residency to register to vote in Wyoming.
Unlike other states, HB 156 applies to all elections and doesn’t contain any exceptions. It is thus largely patterned off of the SAVE Act, with a defined list of acceptable documents for providing proof of citizenship for voter registration.
With HB 156 becoming law in Wyoming, it will be in full force and effect to protect the integrity of Wyoming’s elections in 2026 and beyond.
Despite the wave of progress inspired by the SAVE Act in 2024 and Wyoming’s work as a leader at the state level, it is so important that the SAVE Act become law at the national level so that proof of citizenship is required in all 50 states.
Now that the U.S. House has acted, passage of the SAVE Act in the Senate is critical to ensure that every state requires proof of United States citizenship to vote, thereby preserving the integrity and security of our elections.
Common sense, and the people of Wyoming, demand no less.
Congresswoman Hageman is the lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Wyoming, and Chuck Gray is Wyoming’s Secretary of State.
