A sweeping Republican law is reshaping the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with changes to eligibility and rising state costs unfolding ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The changes, included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, are being phased in. They include tougher work requirements and new restrictions on noncitizens. Nationwide, SNAP enrollment had fallen by more than 5 million people by this summer. Arizona was among the hardest-hit states; more than half of its recipients lost benefits, according to the figures cited in the report. A new cost requirement took effect Oct. 1: States and counties must now cover 75% of SNAP administrative expenses, up from 50%. Beginning in a year, states with high payment error rates will also be required to pay part of the benefits themselves—a new obligation that is already factoring into state and local budget planning. The changes arrive as affordability and grocery prices weigh on household budgets and rank high among voters’ concerns. That puts the effects of SNAP policy in a politically sensitive position: Families losing food assistance may feel the consequences directly, while state governments must decide how to absorb the higher costs. Together, the provisions shift more responsibility for administering and financing food aid from the federal government to states, while narrowing access for some recipients. Their full effects—and any impact on voters’ choices—remain to be seen.