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Show Your Papers or Lose Your Vote
Between January and May 2026, nine states enacted 12 restrictive voting laws. Nine of those restrictions will be in effect when voters go to the polls in November. The through line is a single demand: prove you are a citizen before the state lets you register.
South Dakota and Utah now require every voter to present a passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or citizenship-marked driver’s license to register. Florida, Kentucky, and Mississippi require those documents from some voters. Combined with laws already on the books in Arizona, New Hampshire, and Wyoming, five states will enforce a blanket show-your-papers requirement for the 2026 midterms.
This is not hypothetical. South Dakota’s requirement was in effect for its June 2 primary. Utah’s took effect May 6, ahead of its June 23 primary.
Who Gets Blocked
The Brennan Center found that 21.3 million U.S. citizens of voting age lack ready access to citizenship documents. That is 9 percent of eligible voters. Among citizens of color, the figure rises to 11 percent. Among white citizens, 8 percent.
These are not noncitizens. These are Americans who were born in hospitals that closed, who lost documents in hurricanes, who moved between states and never requested certified copies. Proof-of-citizenship laws treat them as suspects.
“More than 21 million citizens of voting age don’t have ready access to citizenship documents.” — Brennan Center for Justice
State-by-State New Restrictions
| State | Law | What It Requires | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | HB 1200 | Passport or birth certificate for all voter registrations | June 2026 primary |
| Utah | HB 209 | Documentary proof of citizenship for all registrations | May 6, 2026 |
| Florida | HB 991 | Proof of citizenship for some registrations | Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Kentucky | SB 2 | Documentary proof for flagged registrants | 2026 |
| Mississippi | SHIELD Act | Proof required if state or federal databases cannot confirm citizenship | July 1, 2026 |
| Arizona | Existing law | Proof required for all state and local elections | Already in effect |
| New Hampshire | Existing law | Documentary proof for all registrations | Already in effect |
| Wyoming | Existing law | Documentary proof for all registrations | Already in effect |
Combined with the 32 restrictive laws enacted in 2025, the two-year total now stands at 44 restrictive voting laws. That breaks the previous record of 43, set during the 2021-2022 cycle.
The Federal Push
The SAVE America Act passed the House 218-213 in February 2026. It would require documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections nationwide, effectively ending most online and mail registration. The bill stalled in the Senate after failing to reach 60 votes. Four Republican senators voted against it.
On March 31, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Postal Service to send mail ballots only to voters on new citizenship-verified lists compiled by DHS and SSA. Legal experts say the order exceeds presidential authority. Multiple lawsuits are pending, including a challenge by the League of Women Voters.
State legislatures are not waiting for Congress. Lawmakers in 41 states introduced 302 restrictive voting bills in 2026 alone.
What You Can Do
- Check your registration now. Verify your status at vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote. If your state added new requirements, check whether you need additional documents.
- Get your documents in order. If you do not have a passport or certified birth certificate, request one now. Processing times can stretch to months.
- Contact your senators. Tell them to oppose the SAVE America Act and the March 31 executive order. Use Resist Bot to send a message in under two minutes.
- Help others register. Proof-of-citizenship requirements hit hardest in communities with less access to government offices. Volunteer with local voter registration drives.
- Share this brief. Forward it to voters in South Dakota, Utah, Florida, Kentucky, and Mississippi who may not know the rules changed.
Read More
- Voting and Elections hub for the full picture on voting rights nationwide
- Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act for the federal preclearance fight
- South Dakota Ballot Restrictions for how SD is also attacking direct democracy