Kamala Harris says SAVE Act can’t pass because ‘40% of Americans don’t have specific documents’

Kamala Harris said about 40% of Americans lack birth certificates and argued that the SAVE Act would unfairly block eligible voters from registering
PUBLISHED FEB 26, 2026
Kamala Harris said married women who change their names could face voter registration hurdles, calling it a real-time effort to suppress votes (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Kamala Harris said married women who change their names could face voter registration hurdles, calling it a real-time effort to suppress votes (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, DC: Former Vice President Kamala Harris strongly criticized the proposed SAVE Act, arguing that it would make it much harder for Americans to register to vote.

Harris warned that the bill’s requirement for specific citizenship documents would leave millions of eligible voters unable to participate, claiming that "something like 40% of Americans" lack the documents required under the proposed law.

Kamala Harris opposes SAVE Act voter ID requirements

During an interview with host Aaron Parnas on his Substack show, ‘The Parnas Perspective,’ Harris was asked directly whether Congress should pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.

She responded with a firm "Absolutely not," before launching into a detailed explanation of why she rejects the act. "You know what the SAVE Act would do? Require that people show a birth certificate or a passport to register to vote," Harris said.

Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks onstage during her '107 Days' book tour at Tabernacle on October 8, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks onstage during her '107 Days' book tour at Tabernacle on October 8, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

"I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but it's something like 40% of Americans don't have those documents." She argued that this would create an unfair hurdle for millions of citizens who have every right to vote but lack the specific paperwork required under the bill.

Kamala Harris says SAVE Act harms married women

Kamala Harris also highlighted how the proposed rules could create specific problems for married women. She noted that when people get married and change their last names, their legal names often no longer match the names listed on their original birth certificates.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 14: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks onstage during the Fortune Most Powerful Women Gala 2025 at Washington National Cathedral on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Fortune Media)
Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks onstage during the Fortune Most Powerful Women Gala 2025 at Washington National Cathedral on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC (Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Fortune Media)

"Married women, if you changed your name when you got married, it's going to be different than what's on your birth certificate," Harris said. 

She argued that this simple change could create a major obstacle for women trying to register, adding that "this is happening in real time to suppress and obstruct the ability of people to vote."

Kamala Harris claims SAVE Act aims to ‘bend rules’

Kamala Harris linked her opposition to the SAVE Act to broader concerns about voting rights in the United States. She claimed the push for the bill is part of a long-term pattern by some politicians to weaken voting protections because they are worried about election outcomes.

She encouraged people to stay vigilant as the midterms approach. "We need to be clear eyed and alert to what might be at play around these midterms," Harris said.

She suggested these efforts are politically motivated, adding, "They want to change the system to bend the rules and to cheat because they are so concerned that this guy is so unpopular."

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