A new Gallup poll has found that a majority of Americans are concerned about ineligible voters casting ballots in U.S. elections, with significant concerns also emerging about ballot handling and security — even as partisan disagreement continues over proposed federal voting legislation.
The survey, conducted in partnership with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation between April 24 and June 10, polled more than 23,000 adults via web and mail. It found that 53 percent of all adults are worried about “people who are ineligible to vote casting ballots in U.S. elections.”
The concern crosses party lines, though at varying levels. According to the poll, 78 percent of Republicans share this worry, along with 48 percent of independents and 36 percent of Democrats.
The survey also revealed concerns about ballot handling procedures. Fifty-seven percent of all adults expressed worry about “ballots not being properly handled, counted or secured.” This concern was shared by 66 percent of Republicans, 54 percent of independents, and 52 percent of Democrats.
Partisan Divide Over Voter ID Legislation
These polling results emerge as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act remains stalled in the Senate after passing the House. The legislation would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification to cast a ballot.
According to The Federalist, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared the bill “dead on arrival” and characterized it as similar to Jim Crow laws, despite the public concerns reflected in the polling data.
The partisan divide on voter identification requirements has persisted across multiple legislative efforts. Democrats previously pushed H.R.1, which would have required states with voter ID laws to accept signed affidavits from voters attesting to their identity under penalty of perjury. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act included provisions for additional federal review of certain voter ID requirements.
Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, recently addressed this apparent contradiction during an ABC News interview. According to The Federalist, Warner indicated he supports voter ID in principle but would not support legislation that would actually enact such requirements into law.
Examples of Voting Irregularities
Proponents of stricter voter ID laws point to documented cases of voting irregularities that they argue such measures could prevent.
In one case from the 2024 general election, New York voter Mike Miner was informed he had already voted at a different polling location when he arrived to cast his ballot. Miner was given a provisional ballot, and a bipartisan team at the Dutchess County Board of Elections investigated. They determined the signature on the first ballot did not match Miner’s actual signature. While Miner’s provisional ballot was counted, the fraudulent vote cast in his name was also counted.
In a 2020 case, Ralph Thurman voted in person as himself, then asked a poll worker whether he needed identification. After being told no, he inquired if he could vote for his son. The worker informed him it was illegal. Thurman later returned wearing a hat and sunglasses and cast a vote in his son’s name. He was recognized by a poll worker and subsequently charged.
Another case involved Vincent Marzello, who voted under his own name with identification in 2016 but then registered an alter ego, Helen Elisabeth Ashley, to vote. He later voted under that alias after signing an affidavit attesting to his identity.
Citizenship Verification Debate
Beyond photo identification, the SAVE America Act would address citizenship verification in voter registration. While noncitizen voting is already illegal under federal law, the current federal registration form requires prospective voters only to check a box attesting under penalty of perjury that they are citizens.
According to The Federalist’s reporting, this honor system has resulted in thousands of noncitizens appearing on voter rolls in states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, and Nevada. The SAVE America Act would amend the 1993 National Voter Registration Act to require documentary proof of citizenship.
The Gallup poll results suggest that public concern about election integrity measures extends beyond partisan talking points, with substantial percentages of independents and even Democrats expressing worry about ineligible voters and ballot security. However, the Senate remains divided on how — or whether — to address these concerns through federal legislation.
Source: thefederalist.com — https://thefederalist.com/2026/07/30/poll-majority-of-americans-worried-about-ineligible-voters-casting-ballots-as-dems-fight-voter-id/