Trump Cites India’s Election System in Push for Stricter US Voter ID Rules
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump cited India’s election system as a model for the United States as he renewed his call for stricter voter identification requirements and urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act.
Trump said India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had questioned why the United States does not have a nationwide photo identification requirement for elections.
“Earlier this month, India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration — How can you have Elections in the U.S. without a valid Photo ID?” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump pointed to the size of India’s electorate and its voter identification requirements in making his case for changes to US election procedures.
“India’s last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than 1% voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document. We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now!” he said.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor backed Trump’s call, saying on X that Congress should pass the legislation.
The Republican-led House passed a revised version of the bill in February by a 218-213 vote, with one Democrat joining Republicans. An earlier version of the SAVE Act passed the House in April but stalled in the Senate.
The legislation would require people to provide documentary proof of US citizenship before registering to vote in federal elections and would require valid photo identification at polling places.
Acceptable citizenship documents would include a US passport, certain government-issued identification cards, a birth certificate or a military identification card accompanied by a service record showing a US birthplace.
The bill would also direct states to identify and remove non-citizens from voter rolls using information from state agencies, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump has separately called for mail-in voting to be restricted to cases involving illness, disability, military service or travel.
Republicans argue the legislation would strengthen election security and help ensure that only US citizens vote in federal elections. Non-citizens are already barred from voting in federal and state elections, and election experts have said such voting is rare.
Democrats have argued that the measure could make it harder for some eligible citizens to vote, particularly people who may have difficulty obtaining government-issued identification or proof of citizenship. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has said the legislation would be “dead on arrival” in the Senate. (Source: IANS)
