Lombardo Seeks Federal Help to Verify Voter Eligibility in Nevada

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo is urging Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar to use federal resources to verify the citizenship status and eligibility of registered voters. In a letter sent on Wednesday, Lombardo cited the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system as a tool to help ensure voter eligibility.

The governor's request comes after a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which temporarily blocked a lower court order that had prevented the use of an enhanced version of the SAVE system. The high court ruled that existing federal law allows the Department of Homeland Security to respond to eligibility inquiries from state and local governments.

Lombardo's letter emphasized the importance of verifying voter eligibility and cited a Pew Research Center survey, which found that 85% of U.S. adults believe it is important to prevent ineligible voters from casting ballots. The governor also encouraged Aguilar to use 'individualized inquiries' permitted under the National Voter Registration Act during election periods.

The governor's office noted that the SAVE system allows state and local governments to verify citizenship status and voter eligibility, which aligns with Lombardo's commitment to ensuring the integrity of Nevada's electoral process. The letter was sent in response to concerns raised by the recent Supreme Court decision and aims to reassure voters about the measures being taken to prevent ineligible voting.