U.S. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX), one of the sponsors of the SAVE Act, addressed claims that the legislation would disenfranchise many married women when it comes to voting. The claims are based in the detail that married women who changed their surnames would be required to present additional ID (e.g., a birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.) that matches their birth name.
Note: There are approximately 69 million married women in the United States.
As seen below on Fox News, Roy explained how he envisions it would work for women voters. He said the bill allows a fail-safe: “You go and you can sign an affidavit that says ‘this is my driver’s license, my name is Sara Jones on my driver’s license. Here’s my birth certificate, Sara Smith, I certify under penalty of perjury that I’m the same person.’ And we allow that.”
Roy also said, “We also allow states to make other mechanisms under their laws to make sure that they match hit.”
No, actually @chiproytx is admitting that married women are going to be required to take extra steps to register to vote that are not required of men – married or single. Married women will be unequal in this bill and have extra burdens to register to vote. Oh, you will LET us… https://t.co/t4U7G8sh46
— Barbara Comstock (@BarbaraComstock) February 17, 2026
Former Virginia Republican U.S. Representative Barbara Comstock (née Burns) replied: “@chiproytx is admitting that married women are going to be required to take extra steps to register to vote that are not required of men – married or single. Married women will be unequal in this bill and have extra burdens to register to vote. Oh, you will LET us sign an affidavit that we aren’t lying?!”
Organizations that oppose the SAVE Act say it “solves nothing.” The Brennan Center for Justice wrote that the SAVE Act bills “are part of a broader federal agenda to sow distrust in our elections, undermine election administration, and discourage Americans from making their voices heard. The SAVE Act, in any form, would block millions of American citizens from voting.”
The bill, as NPR describes, “was introduced in response to fears about voter fraud, though research has consistently showed that such incidents are exceedingly rare and not a significant factor in American elections.”
Last spring White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Democrats of “fear-mongering about this bill…saying if married women change their name, they would not be able to vote.” Leavitt contended that the charge was “complete fallacy.”
Roy’s suggestion that a signed affidavit is the solution in some cases doesn’t specifically contradict Leavitt’s claim, but it does add a step to the process.