Peoria Standard

Jim Rule, Chairman of the Tazewell County Republicans, has called on U.S. Senators to pass the SAVE Act, emphasizing its importance for election integrity and reflecting the will of Americans who support proof of citizenship for voting. Rule made these remarks to Peoria Standard.

"U.S. Senators have a responsibility to represent the will of their constituents, and polling shows clear support for stronger voter verification measures," said Rule. "The SAVE Act would help safeguard our elections by requiring proof of citizenship and reinforcing the integrity of our voter rolls. Passing this bill is a crucial step toward protecting the foundation of our democracy. Let's keep the ballot in the hands of citizens—because only Americans should pick America's leaders."

According to Fox News, the U.S. House passed the Trump-backed Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act with a 220–208 vote on April 10, with nearly all Democrats opposing it. The legislation requires individuals to provide in-person proof of citizenship when registering for federal elections and seeks to remove noncitizens from voter rolls. The bill now advances to the Senate, where it needs 60 votes to proceed further. The SAVE Act has gained momentum during the 2024 election cycle as former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee advocate for stricter voter verification measures in key battleground states.

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

Rule, a resident of Morton, was first elected as Chairman of the Tazewell County Republicans in 2018. 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 Tazewell County voters."