Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is urging U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to prioritize improvements to the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.
In a Feb. 3 letter, Raffensperger urged Noem to focus on improving the SAVE program to help states more effectively verify citizenship for voter registration and maintain election integrity.
In his letter, Raffensperger outlined several recommendations to modernize and improve the system:
- Expanded Search Capabilities: Allow state election officials to utilize additional personal identifying information (PII) such as dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers during SAVE searches, instead of relying solely on Alien Registration Numbers or DHS receipt numbers.
- Timely Database Updates: Ensure the SAVE database is frequently updated to reflect the status of newly naturalized citizens promptly.
- Elimination of Access Fees: Grant states free access to the SAVE system to conduct citizenship verification.
- Clear Usage Guidance: Providing comprehensive guidance to state election officials on how and when to use the SAVE system, to ensure consistent application across all states and avoid legal conflicts.
“Enhancing the SAVE program will significantly reduce the burdens faced by states in verifying citizenship and maintaining accurate voter rolls,” said Raffensperger. “We’ve fought to protect Georgia’s citizenship verification system not once, but twice. These improvements are critical to protecting the integrity of our elections and ensuring that only lawful U.S. citizens participate in the democratic process.”
