The SAVE Act passed the House on Feb. 11, 2026 by a vote of 218-213 and is now in the Senate awaiting a vote. Voting is expected to take place next week, according to Thune. If and when it passes the Senate, it will go to the president for a final signature.
Will SAVE Act Prevent Married Women from Registering to Vote?
Posted on February 28, 2025
Q: Is it true that under the SAVE Act married women will not be able to register to vote if their married name doesn’t match their birth certificate?
A: The proposed SAVE Act instructs states to establish a process for people whose legal name doesn’t match their birth certificate to provide additional documents. But voting rights advocates say that married women and others who have changed their names may face difficulty when registering because of the ambiguity in the bill over what documents may be accepted.
Can't speak for the entirety of the West ofc but here in the UK It's traditionally the norm that the woman takes the man's surname; but it's definitely become less common in the last 50 years or so.
It's not uncommon to see double-barrelled names; which are both surnames added together (IE: Mr Smith marrying Miss Jones could become the Smith-Jones') or as you say, retaining their family surname post marriage.
Same sex tend to go down the double barrel or retention routes from what I've experienced. I've met same sex couples where one elected to take the others name, but I'd be surprised if it was the most popular option in SSM, primarily because of where I believe this tradition stems from.
My theory is that the less theocratical a country is, the less prominent this situation is. Religion eh. Helluva drug.