States clean their voter rolls through a process called list maintenance: they compare registrations against records of deaths, moves, felony convictions and other changes, then remove people who are no longer eligible. Federal law sets the ground rules. States can’t remove someone just for not voting, must send a notice and wait through two federal general elections before canceling a registration because of a suspected move, and must finish systematic removals at least 90 days before a federal election.
How aggressively states do this, and which databases they use, has become one of the more contested questions in election administration. Here’s how it works.
Which federal laws govern voter roll maintenance? #
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 #
The NVRA, often called the “motor voter” law, requires states to run uniform, nondiscriminatory programs to keep rolls accurate. Its key protections:
- No removal for not voting. A state can’t cancel a registration solely because someone didn’t vote.
- Notice and waiting. Before removing someone because they may have moved, the state must follow a set notice process (below).
- The 90-day quiet period. Systematic removal programs must finish at least 90 days before a federal primary or general election. Individual removals, such as for a death or at the voter’s request, can continue.
Six states are exempt from the NVRA because they have Election Day registration or, in North Dakota’s case, no voter registration at all: Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 #
HAVA required every state to keep a single, computerized statewide voter list and to check new registrations against motor vehicle and Social Security records. Before HAVA, many rolls were kept county by county, which made duplicates common. HAVA also guaranteed provisional ballots for voters whose eligibility is in question at the polls.
What data do states use? #
| Reason for removal | Main data sources |
|---|---|
| Moved | USPS National Change of Address data, motor vehicle records, returned election mail, other states’ records |
| Died | State vital records, Social Security Administration death data |
| Felony conviction | State and federal court records, corrections departments (rules vary by state) |
| Duplicate registration | Statewide list matching, interstate data sharing |
| Not a citizen | Motor vehicle records showing noncitizen status, the federal SAVE database |
ERIC #
The Electronic Registration Information Center is a partnership of states, founded in 2012, that compares members’ voter and motor vehicle records to find people who moved between states, died or registered twice. It also flags eligible people who aren’t registered so states can reach out to them. ERIC lists 27 states and DC as members.
Nine states left ERIC in 2022 and 2023 amid criticism of the group, including Florida, Ohio, Texas and Virginia. In 2026, Virginia’s governor ordered the state to rejoin. States that left have tried to replace it with agreements between individual states, which cover fewer records.
SAVE #
SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) is a Department of Homeland Security database originally built to check immigration status for benefits. In 2025 the federal government expanded it so states could check registrants in bulk using Social Security numbers and dropped the fee for using it. Many states signed agreements to use it for voter checks. Election officials and researchers have raised concerns about accuracy, especially for naturalized citizens whose records may not be current, and its use for voter rolls has been challenged in court.
How does the notice-and-waiting process work? #
A state can’t delete someone because a database suggests they moved. The NVRA requires a specific sequence:
- A trigger. Change-of-address data, returned mail or, in some states, a period of not voting prompts a review.
- A confirmation notice. The state mails a forwardable notice with a prepaid return card asking the voter to confirm their address.
- If the voter responds, the registration is updated or kept. If they confirm a move out of the jurisdiction, it’s canceled and they’re told how to register at the new address.
- If the voter doesn’t respond, the registration is marked inactive. Inactive voters can still vote; doing so, or updating their address, makes them active again.
- Cancellation comes only if the voter doesn’t respond and doesn’t vote or otherwise contact the office through the next two federal general elections, which can take up to four years.
In Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute (2018), the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Ohio could use a period of not voting as the trigger for sending a confirmation notice, as long as it followed the full notice-and-waiting process.
What’s been changing in 2025 and 2026? #
Voter roll maintenance has been at the center of several federal-state disputes:
- A March 2025 executive order on elections directed federal agencies to help states verify citizenship, including through SAVE, and tried to require documentary proof of citizenship on the federal registration form. A federal judge blocked the proof-of-citizenship requirement in 2025.
- The Justice Department asked many states in 2025 for full copies of their voter rolls, including sensitive data, and sued several that declined.
- The SAVE Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, passed the House in April 2025. Check Congress.gov for its current status.
Expect more litigation over these issues before and after November 3.
Why is list maintenance so contested? #
Both sides have real concerns:
| Supporters of aggressive maintenance | Critics of aggressive maintenance | |
|---|---|---|
| Main worry | Outdated rolls with dead or moved voters invite errors and erode trust | Eligible voters get removed by mistake |
| Arguments | Clean rolls cut costs, reduce confusion at the polls and prevent double registration | Database matches produce false positives, especially for common names; people who move often, such as renters and students, are more likely to be flagged |
| Preferred fixes | More frequent checks, more data sharing, citizenship verification | Strict notice periods, better matching standards, easy ways to fix errors |
Most election administrators say the goal is both: remove ineligible registrations while making sure eligible voters aren’t dropped. The fights are over where to draw the line and which data is reliable enough to act on.
How do you make sure you’re still registered? #
- Check your status on your state’s election website or through vote.gov, well before your state’s registration deadline.
- Update your address after any move, even within the same county.
- Respond to any confirmation notice you get in the mail.
- If you’re not on the list at the polls, ask for a provisional ballot. If you’re eligible, it will be counted.
- Look into same-day registration. More than 20 states and DC let you register when you vote.
Our 2026 midterm calendar lists this fall’s deadlines. Election Tracker can schedule optional reminders on your phone at 30 days, a week, a day out and on Election Day; the 30-day reminder is a good prompt to check your registration while there’s still time to fix a problem. It’s free on iPhone. If your state automatically registers people through the DMV, see how automatic voter registration works.
Frequently asked questions #
Can I be removed from the rolls for not voting? #
Not for that reason alone. Federal law bars removal solely for not voting. Some states use a period of not voting to trigger a confirmation notice, and if you don’t respond and don’t vote through the next two federal general elections, your registration can be canceled.
What is an inactive voter? #
A voter who didn’t respond to an address confirmation notice. Inactive voters are still registered and can vote. Voting or updating your address returns you to active status.
Can states remove voters close to an election? #
Not through systematic programs. The NVRA requires those to end 90 days before a federal election. States can still remove individual voters who died, asked to be removed or were confirmed ineligible.
What happens if my name isn’t on the list when I vote? #
You have the right to cast a provisional ballot. Election officials check your eligibility afterward, and your vote counts if you were properly registered.
What is ERIC and why did states leave it? #
ERIC is a multistate partnership that compares voter and motor vehicle records to find people who moved, died or registered twice. Nine states left in 2022 and 2023 after criticism of the group’s governance and its requirement that members contact eligible unregistered residents; supporters said it was the most effective tool available, and some states have since moved to rejoin.