Statement from Executive Director Sam Hayes about SAVE Results

The following is a statement from Sam Hayes, executive director of the State Board of Elections, about the recent federal announcement about SAVE results for North Carolina:

At the State Board of Elections, we take any evidence of ineligible individuals on our voter rolls very seriously.

Last night, the Department of Homeland Security released information showing that SAVE identified 1,599 potential non-U.S. citizens on North Carolina’s voter rolls. These potentially ineligible registrations represent an extremely small percentage of the 7.8 million registered voters in our state.

However, one ineligible registrant is still one too many. Therefore, we are developing a process by which State Board and county boards of elections records, as well as other available sources, will be researched for evidence that an identified registrant is eligible to vote. If that research is inconclusive, then the State Board will contact the registrant regarding their citizenship status.

I want to assure the public that we are going to follow all applicable state and federal laws as this process unfolds. Each registrant will be afforded the appropriate due process before any removal proceeding is initiated.

I also want to assure the public that this process will be transparent, and we will provide updates as new information becomes available.