As Senate debates SAVE Act, another new poll shows voter ID is an 80-20 issue in America

Voter ID poll.

The Senate this week voted 51-48 this week to advance debate on the floor about the SAVE Act, proposed legislation that would shore up U.S. election security by requiring photo ID at the polls and proof of American citizenship to register. A new poll released on Thursday again showed overwhelming support among the American populace for requiring photo ID to vote in elections. 

The poll, conducted by CBS News and YouGov, showed that the voter ID issue is literally an 80-20 issue with the American electorate. Precisely 80% of those polled about requiring a valid photo ID to vote favored such a measure, the poll showed. Just 20% of respondents opposed such a measure. Among Democrats, 65% support photo ID requirements, while 79% of independents and 95% of Republicans favor the requirements. 

Drilling down further on the topic, the poll showed broad support for requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, although not as overwhelming as the photo ID requirement. Two-thirds of Americans, 66%, favor a proof of citizenship requirement to become a registered voter in the U.S., while just 34% oppose such a measure. 

Meanwhile, the SAVE Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives, last month, barely generates tepid support in the Senate. Not a single Democrat voted for the bill earlier this week. And it lacked the support of at least two Republican senators -- Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted against it, and Tom Tillis of North Carolina, who missed the vote. 

President Donald Trump has described the SAVE Act as "the most popular bill I've ever seen put before Congress" -- a claim that might just be backed up by the latest poll on the topic. Trump has also vowed not to sign any further legislation until the Senate passes the SAVE Act and sends it to his desk to be signed into law. For more on the poll, click here.