Voter Registration and Voter List Maintenance Fact Sheet

Background

What You Should Know

• SAVE is not a source database of U.S. citizens and immigrants. SAVE is an information service whereby user agencies submit information (such as name, date of birth, and an enumerator) and SAVE uses that information to query against source databases maintained by DHS, the Department of Justice, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify and provide, if retrievable, a point-in-time response that includes the individual’s U.S. citizenship or immigration status.
• SAVE is not the only way to determine U.S. citizenship. SAVE only verifies and provides available information about an individual’s U.S. citizenship or immigration status and is one of many methods that voter verification agencies may use to verify U.S. citizenship.
• SAVE optimized its service in 2025 to better serve voter verification agencies. This optimization allowed agencies accessing SAVE through a web browser to create cases using a Social Security number (SSN) and to create cases in bulk; and eliminated SAVE transaction charges for state and local agencies.
• When a user agency creates a case using an SSN, SAVE first queries SSA databases. Based on SSA data, SAVE can verify the U.S. citizenship of most U.S.-born individuals as well as check the SSA Death Master File. If SSA data confirm that the individual has an Alien number (A-number or USCIS number), that number is then used to query data available to DHS to confirm the U.S. citizenship or immigration status of the individual. If no match is found with SSA data, the voter verification agency is prompted to confirm their data and create a new case with corrected or additional information.
• When a DHS-issued enumerator is used, whether as entered by the agency or retrieved from SSA, SAVE queries data available to DHS. If a DHS-issued enumerator (such as an A-Number or Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate Number) is provided, SAVE searches DHS systems. SAVE may provide a U.S. citizen response, an immigration status response (e.g., Lawful Permanent Resident), or request additional information.

• SAVE can only verify data it can access. SAVE can verify U.S. citizenship based on SSA or DHS records for U.S.-born citizens and citizens who have completed the naturalization process or have acquired U.S. citizenship and received a Certificate of Citizenship from USCIS or a predecessor agency. However, if an individual with acquired citizenship has not received a Certificate of Citizenship from USCIS (e.g., some foreign-born children of U.S. citizens) or is not designated as a U.S. citizen in SSA records, SAVE may not be able to confirm that individual’s U.S. citizenship. In these circumstances, SAVE returns the case to the user agency for review of their information for data entry errors or to seek additional information from the individual.

  SAVE cases cannot be created using only a name and date of birth, and SAVE cannot search using enumerators like a driver’s license number, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or other documentation issued by entities other than DHS or SSA. SAVE does not query data sources for addresses or telephone numbers.

• User agencies must take additional steps when required by SAVE for any case response other than “United States Citizen.”  SAVE prohibits agencies from rejecting voter registration or removing an individual from a voter roll solely based on a SAVE response until the agency has completed all SAVE-required steps. For example, SAVE cases that do not return a U.S. citizen response may require the agency to resubmit the case with corrected or additional information, or request additional verification. Agencies may also be required to take additional steps if the SAVE case response is an immigration status (e.g., Lawful Permanent Resident) or the registrant or registered voter requests additional verification.

Summary of How Voter Verification Agencies Use SAVE to Verify U.S. Citizenship 

• All SAVE users must complete required training, review the SAVE Program Guide, view the latest version of the SAVE Tutorial and maintain a working knowledge of requirements contained in the SAVE MOA.
• The voter verification agency submits or enters registrant or registered voter information into SAVE (individually or in bulk) and creates an electronic initial verification request. The information required to submit a SAVE case includes the individual’s: first name, last name, date of birth, and one or more enumerators (required enumerators include an A-number/USCIS Number, Certificate of Naturalization Number, Certificate of Citizenship Number, or Social Security Number).
• SAVE usually provides an automated response within seconds (e.g., citizenship indicator, most recent class of admission, and a narrative description). Cases submitted in large volumes using the SAVE Bulk Upload tool typically receive initial responses within a day but may take longer depending on the file size.
• If the SAVE response is other than U.S. Citizen, the SAVE process, as agreed to by the voter agency, permits the registrant or registered voter an opportunity to correct their records or present proof of citizenship prior to relying on a SAVE result to deny registration or remove someone from a voting roll.
  • If a case was created using a Social Security number as the only enumerator and SSA is not able to match to a record, SAVE will then close the case and instruct the user agency to review the original submission for data entry errors and create a new case with new or additional information. A no match response based on SSA data cannot be used to deny registration or remove someone from a voting roll.
  • If a case was created based on a DHS-issued enumerator, the initial verification response might provide an immigration status (e.g., Lawful Permanent Resident) or may instruct the agency to request additional verification. An agency may not use one of these responses alone to deny registration or remove someone from a voting roll but must first take additional actions, such as requesting additional verification [3]. User agencies must also initiate additional verification if requested by the registrant or registered voter. Additional verification requests should include a copy of the individual’s immigration document, when available. All additional verification steps required by SAVE must be completed to be considered a final SAVE response.
  • If, after additional verification, SAVE cannot verify the individual as a U.S. citizen or verifies them as something other than U.S. citizen, the user agency or voting administrator may not use the SAVE response to deny registration or remove someone from a voting roll without first, as applicable to the situation, providing the individual with an opportunity to contact the appropriate federal agency (e.g., SSA or DHS) to correct their records and/or contacting the individual to obtain proof of U.S. citizenship if required under federal, state or other applicable law, and safeguarding any other rights available to the individual. Information on federal record correction is available at SAVE Records: Fast Facts for Benefit Applicants.