Trump cites India's electoral system to push for SAVE America Act

US President Donald Trump has cited India's voter ID system and low use of postal ballots as he pushes for tighter voting rules under the proposed SAVE America Act

US President Donald Trump has pointed to India’s electoral system as an example for the United States in his push to bring tighter voting rules in the country.

 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had recently questioned how elections could be held in the US without a valid photo identification document.

 

Trump said India’s most recent general election had 646 million voters, with less than 1 per cent voting by mail, and claimed that every voter had a valid photo identity document. He used the comparison to make the case for mandatory photo identification for US voters.

 

What does Trump want the US to change?

Trump’s comments come as he pushes Congress to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a proposed legislation aimed at changing voter registration and identification rules for federal elections.

 

The law, if passed, would require people voting in federal elections to provide documentary proof of US citizenship. It would also require voters to present an eligible photo identification document when voting.

 

It also sets identification requirements for people voting by absentee ballot. Under the Bill, voters using an absentee ballot would have to provide a copy of an eligible photo ID both when requesting and submitting the ballot.

 

Trump has also called for much tighter restrictions on voting by mail, arguing that elections should rely primarily on in-person voting, with limited exceptions.

Why does India feature in Trump’s argument?

India’s election system gives voters several approved ways to establish their identity at polling stations. Trump is using the country’s large electorate and the comparatively limited use of postal voting to argue that the US can impose stricter identification requirements while still conducting elections on a massive scale.

 

However, India and the US have different election laws, voter registration systems and rules governing postal or absentee voting. India’s electoral process also has specific categories of voters who can use postal ballots.

Why is the SAVE America Act controversial?

The proposed legislation has drawn opposition from Democrats and voting-rights groups, who argue that stricter documentation requirements could make it harder for some eligible voters to register or cast their ballots.

 

Supporters, including Trump and his administration, argue that proof of citizenship and photo identification would strengthen confidence in elections and help prevent voting by people who are not eligible.

 

The Bill has also faced uncertainty in Congress. Democrats and Republicans remain divided over the legislation, while the Senate adjourned for a five-week recess earlier this month without taking concrete steps towards its passage.