Northwoods Reporter

Matthew Rust, chairman of the St. Croix County Republicans, has called on U.S. Senators to pass the SAVE Act to ensure election integrity and respect the wishes of Americans who support proof of citizenship for voting. Rust made these remarks in a statement to Northwoods Reporter.

"Our elections can only work if voters trust the system, and that starts with securing the ballot box," said Rust. "The SAVE Act is the answer for millions of Americans who support voter ID and proof of citizenship. Our Senators have a duty to respond to the will of the people and prioritize election integrity. It's simple common sense - anyone voting to determine America's future must be an American."

According to Fox News, the House passed the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, backed by former President Trump, with a vote of 220-208 on April 10. The bill mandates in-person proof of citizenship for federal election registration and aims to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. It now requires 60 votes in the Senate for approval. Despite widespread public support for voter identification measures, Democrats largely opposed the bill.

Fox News also reported that the SAVE Act gained traction as the 2024 election approached, with Trump and the Republican National Committee advocating for stricter voter verification in key battleground states.

A Gallup poll conducted shortly before the 2024 election indicated strong bipartisan support for early voting (76%), requiring photo ID to vote (84%), and proof of citizenship for first-time voter registration (83%). Additionally, smaller majorities favored automatic voter registration (60%) and sending absentee ballot applications to all voters (60%). Most Americans opposed limiting drop boxes (58%) and purging voters due to non-participation (64%). The poll revealed that Republicans generally favor policies aimed at preventing voter fraud, while Democrats tend to support expanding access. These views have remained relatively stable since 2022, with some changes among party lines.

Rust was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of St. Croix County in 2023. According to the organization's website, he is "focused on boosting Republican voter turnout, growing the Party’s membership, and communicating the Party’s positions on issues that matter to St. Croix County voters."