Trump Claims Voter ID Is Overwhelmingly Popular — Why Are Democrats So Against It?
The House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act despite Democrat opposition.
Updated Feb. 12 2026, 1:12 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump has claimed that election integrity and policies mandating revised voter ID requirements are "overwhelmingly popular" with Americans, excluding "Radical Left Democrat politicians." To that end, President Trump has pressured Congress to approve policies relating to the requirement for American voters to present photo ID in order to preserve the integrity of the voting process and the "basic security of our elections."
Democrats, however, are not buying it.
Why, exactly, are U.S. Democrats so against voter ID legislation and the narrative surrounding the security of U.S. elections? Are there arguments to be made on both sides of the issue?
Below, we explore the topic of voter identification policies, the proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, and other nuances of U.S. elections. Continue reading to learn more about what is being framed by politicians as President Trump's wishes versus Democrat opposition.
Why are democrats against voter ID?
As the helpful resource Ballotpedia eloquently clarifies, "arguments against requiring voter identification are that they are burdensome for many voters and target minorities."
The Democratic Party made racial politics central to the party's strategy, according to one opinion piece in The New York Times. Indeed, Democrats often seek to position themselves as the party that stands up for the disenfranchised, which is often racial minorities, though many still feel left out by Democrats' views.
Additionally, as Ballotpedia explains, Democrats and those against voter identification laws believe that actual instances of in-person voter fraud are rare.
For reference, Ballotpedia also has a helpful page explaining voter identification laws broken down by state. As of October 2025, 36 states required voters to present identification to vote on Election Day, with 24 of those states requiring voters to present identification that contains their photograph.
What is the “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act” and the “SAVE America Act”?
As Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tweeted above on April 10, 2025, the former Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act (or H.R.22, the SAVE Act) was introduced by Republican Rep. Chip Roy. The legislation was passed in the House of Representatives in April 2025, but the bill stalled in the Senate for 293 days, according to the Republican Study Committee.
Enter Rep. Chip Roy's new SAVE America Act, which Fox News reported passed in the House on Feb. 11 by a count of 218 to 213.
Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar was the lone House Democrat to vote in favor of the bill, with all remaining House Democrats voting against it in the Republican-led House, per Fox News.
An article published on The White House website, entitled: "Voter ID Is Overwhelmingly Popular with Literally Everyone — Except Democrat Politicians," clarifies that the new SAVE America Act would require voters to present photo ID and implement other measures "to protect elections from fraud and abuse."
The White House article cites Pew Research Center data to claim that 83% of Americans favor requiring all voters to show government-issued photo ID to vote.
"This isn’t a close call," begins the article's concluding line. "It’s time for Congress to act — and for Democrat politicians to stop standing in the way of election security."