Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Representative Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) have spearheaded a bicameral effort urging the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to amend federal regulations to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections.
The move, detailed in a comment letter submitted on October 20, 2025, supports a petition by the America First Legal Foundation. The lawmakers argue that the current federal mail voter registration form, which relies solely on an applicant’s self-attestation of citizenship under penalty of perjury, is an inadequate “honor system” that fails to protect election integrity.
“Requiring documentary proof of citizenship is a simple, common-sense reform,” the letter states. It draws a comparison between this requirement and the need to show identification for less consequential activities such as boarding an airplane or opening a bank account.
The coalition of lawmakers, which includes Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and others, asserts that this requirement would not burden eligible voters but would instead provide an “essential check” to ensure only citizens are added to the voter rolls, thereby safeguarding the voices of American citizens from being “diluted by unlawful ballots.”
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Citing Vulnerabilities in Current System
The letter highlights several recent incidents it claims underscore the need for this safeguard. It points to Iowa, where officials reportedly identified 277 noncitizens on the voter rolls, with at least 35 confirmed to have cast ballots in the 2024 election. Furthermore, it notes that all 15 counties in Arizona are currently working to identify and remove noncitizens from their rolls following a lawsuit.
In Texas, the letter mentions instances of noncitizen voting and voter-registration fraud documented by the Attorney General’s Election Integrity Unit, including a conviction in Starr County for illegal voting by a noncitizen and findings of noncitizens registered through the current federal form.
EAC Authority and Duty
The lawmakers contend that the EAC has both the authority and the duty under 52 U.S.C. § 20508(a)(1)–(2) to develop the national mail voter registration application form and to prescribe regulations necessary to protect the integrity of the electoral process and maintain “accurate and current voter registration rolls.”
“These examples demonstrate clear vulnerabilities in the current system and highlight the necessity of requiring proof of citizenship at the point of registration,” the letter concludes, respectfully urging the EAC to grant the petition.
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