Type:
NewsFebruary 2, 2026
The League of Women Voters of North Carolina has joined several voting-rights organizations in submitting pubic comment to the North Carolina State Board of Elections regarding proposed permanent rules** for voter roll maintenance.
**A note about Rules: Almost every policy or action taken by NCBOE, as well as election laws passed by the legislature, requires election boards to create rules to implement those policies and laws. The State Board’s rulemaking authority comes from state statute, which empowers it to adopt election rules as long as they do not conflict with the law, and requires public notice and comment before adoption.
The proposed rules stem from a November 2025 vote by the State Board authorizing staff to explore the use of the federal SAVE** program, a Department of Homeland Security datatbase, to assist in verifying voter citizenship. In January 2026, the Board opened a public comment period on rules outlining how alleged non-citizens would be identified, notified, and potentially removed from the voter rolls.
**SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program) is an intergovernmental online system managed by the Department of Homeland Security that helps federal, state, and local agencies verify the immigration or citizenship status of applicants for public benefits and services at a specific point in time. This program should not be confused with the SAVE Act, a bill introduced in the U.S. Congress that would require citizens to submit documentation, in addition to their sworn voter registration form, to verify their U.S. citizenship before voting.
**SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program) is an intergovernmental online system managed by the Department of Homeland Security that helps federal, state, and local agencies verify the immigration or citizenship status of applicants for public benefits and services at a specific point in time. This program should not be confused with the SAVE Act, a bill introduced in the U.S. Congress that would require citizens to submit documentation, in addition to their sworn voter registration form, to verify their U.S. citizenship before voting.
In a joint letter, the League of Women Voters of North Carolina, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Common Cause North Carolina, and the Fair Elections Center raised concerns about relying on database matching without sufficient safeguards. The letter emphasized the importance of accuracy, clear standards, and due process to prevent eligilbe voters from being wrongly challenged or removed. Full joint letter may be read here.
The coalition also highlighted federal protections that limit systematic voter removals close to the elections and recommmended clearer notice and documentation standards.
The public comment period remains open through March 16, and members of the public may submit comments directly to the State Board of Elections. The portal may be access here.
League to which this content belongs:
North Carolina
