Sen. Collins must oppose SAVE America Act | Opinion

Maine Advocates Urge Sen. Susan Collins to Block the SAVE America Act

Portland, Maine – In a call to state voters and lawmakers, two Maine civic leaders have urged Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins to oppose the federal SAVE America Act, a bill that would centralize election control and impose new voter‑ID requirements. The plea comes after Maine residents rejected similar restrictions in a November 2025 ballot measure and after the act’s supporters have faced growing criticism nationwide.

Who and What

Bill Burgess, co‑chair of the Council for American Democracy at Issue One and a Portland resident, and Jim Stanton, president of Maine Citizens Action for Democracy and a Scarborough resident, co‑authored an opinion piece for the state’s local media. The piece criticizes the SAVE America Act, a congressional bill that would shift authority over voting rules from state to federal officials and introduce stringent identity verification measures.

When and Where

The article was published in early February 2026, shortly after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the bill would be debated in the Senate. It references earlier news from June 2026 when Senator Collins publicly expressed support for the legislation but has previously used her filibuster power or other procedural tactics to block its passage.

Why the Act Matters to Maine

Maine voters turned down “Question 1” in the 2025 election, a proposal that would have required voters to present ID and restricted absentee ballot access. The defeat reinforced a tradition of high voter turnout in the state – the third highest among all states in the last four federal elections – and a commitment to protecting individual voting rights.

The SAVE America Act would require:

• Federal control over who can vote and how votes are cast, overriding state‑level election laws.
• Mandatory voter‑ID at the polls, replacing Maine’s current system that uses signatures and voter‑roll checks without an ID.
• Documentary proof of citizenship for registration and for updating voter rolls, a step that would not be required under Maine’s present statutes.
• Elimination of online and mail‑in registration because proof of citizenship could only be submitted in person, potentially leaving many eligible voters unable to register.

These provisions, according to the authors, would impose new administrative burdens on county election offices, many of which already operate with limited budgets and staffing. The bill could also expose election workers to criminal liability for performing their duties, a risk the authors argue would deter proper voter services.

Potential Impact on Maine’s Diverse Voter Base

Maine’s population is roughly 60 % rural and about 25 % over the age of 65. The authors point out that these groups—along with disabled voters, military personnel, and those who have changed surnames—could be disproportionately affected by the act’s ID and documentation requirements. They warn that tens of millions of Americans could be disenfranchised if the bill is enacted.

Senator Collins’ Role

Sen. Susan Collins has publicly stated that the SAVE America Act would help ensure confidence in election results. However, she has also used her filibuster power to block the bill’s inclusion in the ICE funding legislation and has declined to eliminate the filibuster to expedite the bill’s passage. Burgess and Stanton argue that, given Maine’s strong electoral tradition and the potential for widespread voter suppression, Collins should adopt a clear stance against the act.

In a concluding statement, the authors appeal to Collins, saying, “The SAVE America Act would be very bad for our democracy. Sen. Collins, we may not always agree, but hopefully, we can agree that defeating the SAVE America Act is the bare minimum for upholding the Constitution.”

Current Status

The SAVE America Act remains in committee and faces opposition from both sides of the aisle. Maine’s local groups, along with national voting‑rights advocates, continue to monitor its progress and are prepared to mobilize if the bill moves forward.

As Maine’s voters prepare for the next election cycle, the debate over federal versus state control of elections remains a pivotal issue. The state’s leaders and residents alike are calling for a careful examination of the proposed law’s implications for the democratic process.