WASHINGTON — Remaining true to her congressional voting record favoring illegal immigrants over law-abiding Americans on border security, law enforcement and election issues, Kansas 3rd District Congresswoman Sharice Davids followed fellow Democrats in the House last week to oppose tighter voter-ID requirements that would help make sure only Americans vote in U.S. elections.
The U.S. House on Feb. 11 approved the SAVE America Act (S. 1383), a high-profile Republican-backed election security bill that would tighten voter-registration and voter-ID requirements for federal elections. The bill passed largely along party lines with Davids the sole Kansas vote in opposition.
The legislation would amend the National Voter Registration Act to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship before a state can process a federal voter registration application, add mandatory federal voter-ID requirements, and expand cross-checks of voter rolls to identify potential noncitizen registrants. Supporters frame the bill as a measure to protect election integrity; Democrats argue it would create unnecessary burdens for eligible voters.
Davids vote follows her legislative career opposing election and border security related to illegal immigrants. In May 2023 she voted against a bill to expand deportations of non-citizens who assault police officers. In September 2024 she voted against a bill that would strip certain federal funding from so-called “sanctuary cities” which refuse cooperation with federal interdiction operations for illegals. She opposed a similar voter ID requirement bill in July of 2024. In May of 2024 she voted against putting a citizenship question on the U.S. census, which would have factored non-citizens out of population counts for apportioning congressional districts.
Long a dependable vote for Biden-era social engineering legislation and spending authorizations which critics say fueled unparalleled national price increases of consumer goods, Davids rates below even the average Democrat on the conservative Heritage Foundation Action scale, with a 3% support rate for conservative legislations versus the overall House Democrat average of 10%. She’s often criticized in the solidly conservative counties of her district – Anderson, Franklin and Miami – but gains traction among the liberal enclaves of Johnson and part of Wyandotte counties.
How does Sharice Davids score on the Heritage Action report?
While Davids made no public statement regarding her recent vote on the SAVE Act and did not respond to The Kansas Informer’s emails for comment, the Kansas Republican congressional contingent touted the bill as needed upgrade to voter security in an era in which Biden border policies allowed millions of illegal immigrants into the country.
Fourth District Rep. Ron Estes issued a statement endorsing the bill’s goals, arguing election security must be strengthened. “Our elections should be free and fair and decided by Americans,” Estes said, describing the SAVE Act as “common sense” and saying it would make it harder for noncitizens to vote. He added the measure would “restore confidence in our election system” by tightening registration checks.
Rep. Tracey Mann from the Kansas First District, said he supported the bill as part of “upholding U.S. election integrity” and advancing reforms to ensure only eligible citizens participate in federal elections. Rep. Derek Schmidt opf the 2nd District also publicly backed the bill, tweeting that he had joined his House colleagues in voting for the SAVE America Act to “establish safeguards” for federal elections, a sentiment consistent with his broader focus on election integrity.
Backers of the bill argued that federal requirements are needed so states can more effectively verify citizenship at the time of registration and cross-check rolls. Republicans said federal standards would avoid a patchwork of rules among states and build confidence ahead of competitive elections, and likened the procedures to everyday ID checks and described them as widely supported, common-sense reforms to protect elections. Pew and Gallup poll research shows support of some 80 percent among Americans for photo ID voting, including some 70 percent among Democrats.
The bill moves to the Senate, where passage is uncertain given the procedural hurdles in that chamber. Major election law changes would likely require significant bipartisan support, a steep climb amid deep partisan disagreements over election administration and voter access.
Dane Hicks is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School at Quantico, VA. He is the author of novels "The Skinning Tree" and "A Whisper For Help." As publisher of the Anderson County Review in Garnett, KS., he is a recipient of the Kansas Press Association's Boyd Community Service Award as well as more than 60 awards for excellence in news, editorial and photography.
