Lawmakers in South Dakota have approved a bill requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, a move that comes as similar federal legislation remains stalled in the Senate.
The South Dakota House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 175 by a veto-proof margin of 64–3 after the measure had already cleared the state Senate 28–6. The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Larry Rhoden, who is expected to sign it into law.
The legislation was sponsored by state Sen. John Carley, a member of the South Dakota Freedom Caucus. If enacted, the measure would require individuals registering to vote in South Dakota to provide documentary proof that they are U.S. citizens.
Under the bill, eligible voters must show approved identification documents verifying citizenship and meet existing requirements such as residency in the voting precinct and being at least 18 years old by the next election.
Accepted forms of identification would include driver’s licenses or non-driver ID cards issued by South Dakota or other U.S. states and territories, provided the documents indicate the individual has already presented citizenship documentation. Other acceptable records include photocopies of a birth certificate, a U.S. passport, or a tribal identification card.
The measure would take effect immediately once signed into law.
The bill’s passage was not guaranteed. A Senate committee initially rejected the proposal in a 5–3 vote. Carley later used a legislative maneuver known as a “smoke-out” to force the measure out of committee and onto the Senate floor, where it ultimately passed.
Supporters of the legislation say it mirrors the goals of the SAVE America Act, a federal proposal designed to require proof of citizenship for voter registration nationwide.
The national bill has not yet advanced through the Senate, drawing criticism from some conservatives who argue that Senate leadership, including Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, has moved too slowly to bring the measure to a vote.
With South Dakota now moving forward on its own version, the state’s action highlights the broader national debate over voter identification and election integrity policies.
