Apr 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Florida governor Ron Desantis attends a Major League Baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
(Tallahassee, FL) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging Senate Majority Leader John Thune to move the SAVE America Act, a federal election bill that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections and tighten identification rules at the polls.
DeSantis said Congress should act because, in his view, some states are weakening election safeguards. The bill has become a flashpoint in the broader national fight over ballot access, citizenship verification and voter identification.
Supporters argue the measure would strengthen confidence in federal elections. Opponents say additional document requirements could make registration harder for eligible voters who lack ready access to records.
The pressure campaign puts Thune and Senate Republicans in the center of a debate that is expected to carry deep political consequences heading into the next federal election cycle.
