Why It Matters
Federal legislation requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote could prevent thousands of Alaska residents from participating in the 2026 elections, according to the state’s senior U.S. Senator. The measure would force fundamental changes to how Alaskans register to vote, with particular impact on rural communities lacking nearby election offices.
What Happened
Sen. Lisa Murkowski spoke on the Senate floor Thursday opposing the SAVE America Act, a bill supported by President Donald Trump and most congressional Republicans. Murkowski is the only Republican senator opposing the measure, which currently lacks the votes to pass.
The bill would require voters to present photo identification when casting ballots and mandate that new voter registrants show documentary proof of citizenship in person at an elections office or specially licensed state facility. Alaska driver’s licenses would not satisfy the citizenship verification requirement.
By the Numbers
Roughly 29,000 Alaskans registered to vote in 2024. Of those, approximately 25,000 used methods that would not comply with the new federal requirements, according to Murkowski’s floor remarks.
Alaska operates only six in-person elections offices, concentrated on the Railbelt. The state has fewer than a dozen DMV offices where residents could present proof of citizenship.
Approximately 50 percent of Alaskans do not possess a passport, one of the few documents that would satisfy the bill’s citizenship verification requirements.
Zoom Out
Most Alaska voter registrations currently occur online or through the state’s motor-voter system tied to driver’s license applications and the Permanent Fund Dividend process. The federal bill would eliminate these pathways unless the state establishes remote citizenship verification systems.
The legislation contains no funding for states to modify their registration systems or equip remote offices with citizenship verification capabilities. The bill’s requirements would take effect immediately upon passage.
What’s Next
The measure faces opposition from all Senate Democrats and Murkowski, leaving it short of the votes needed for passage. For rural Alaskans seeking to register under the proposed system, compliance would require air travel to urban centers with authorized registration facilities.
The bill’s proponents argue the documentation requirements would prevent noncitizen voting in federal elections. Murkowski acknowledged this stated purpose but said disenfranchisement of eligible citizens would be an inevitable outcome of the verification mandate.