Governor Lombardo Urges Use of Federal SAVE System to Verify Voter Eligibility

What this means

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Today, Governor Joe Lombardo sent a letter to Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar encouraging the use of all legal means available to verify citizenship status and voter eligibility, including individualized inquiries through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system. The Governor’s letter comes after the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 25 stayed a lower court order that had blocked use of the enhanced SAVE system. The Supreme Court concluded that existing federal law supports DHS responding to state and local eligibility inquiries and noted that Congress expressly authorized the types of information sharing at issue.

Official release

Source material from Nevada Governor’s Office. The wording below is the issuer’s statement.

Governor Lombardo Urges Use of Federal SAVE System to Verify Voter Eligibility

September 30, 2026

By

Drew Galang

| Communications Director

| press@gov.nv.gov

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Today, Governor Joe Lombardo sent a letter to Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar encouraging the use of all legal means available to verify citizenship status and voter eligibility, including individualized inquiries through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system.

The Governor’s letter comes after the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 25 stayed a lower court order that had blocked use of the enhanced SAVE system. The Supreme Court concluded that existing federal law supports DHS responding to state and local eligibility inquiries and noted that Congress expressly authorized the types of information sharing at issue.

“I have always maintained that elections should be administered by the states,” Governor Lombardo wrote. “As part of that duty, it is contingent upon the State of Nevada to work with the federal government to ensure that every registered voter is a lawful citizen.”

A Pew Research Center survey conducted April 20-26, 2026, found that 85% of Americans said it is important that no ineligible voters are permitted to vote. The survey found bipartisan support for that principle, with 92% of Republicans and 79% of Democrats saying it is important.

The Governor encouraged Secretary Aguilar to use the individualized inquiries permitted under the National Voter Registration Act during the period leading up to an election to help verify citizenship status and voter eligibility.

Governor Lombardo’s letter can be read here.

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Release text attributed to Nevada Governor’s Office. Consult the official publication for any subsequent corrections or updates.