DHS Plan Enhances Voter Verification and Mail Ballot Monitoring

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sanctioned a plan allowing states to verify that registered voters are U.S. citizens while overseeing mail ballot activities for signs of voter fraud. This aligns with a core aspect of President Donald Trump’s agenda on election integrity.

The DHS approved this strategy last Thursday, anticipating implementation by the end of June, according to a recent court document. The plan permits states to compare full voter registration records with a federal immigration database to affirm citizenship and voting eligibility. State officials will gain secure access to data from federal agencies like the Social Security Administration and the State Department.

Coordination with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is part of the plan’s scope, aimed at monitoring mail-in and absentee ballots. This partnership intends to detect unusual voting patterns, identify fraud, and develop leads for investigation.

DHS envisions collaboration with USPS to monitor mail-in and absentee ballot flows, detect irregularities suggesting fraud or misuse, and create authorized investigative leads, as filed in court.

President Trump’s executive order, issued on March 31, titled ‘Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,’ mandates the development of ‘state citizenship lists.’ DHS is tasked with confirming U.S. citizens aged 18 and over and sharing this data with state election authorities.

A restriction exists on USPS from delivering mail-in ballots to individuals not listed on a state-provided ‘Mail-In and Absentee Participation List.’ Every outgoing mail-in ballot envelope must display an ‘Official Election Mail’ mark, along with a unique barcode, ensuring only citizens vote.

According to a June 5 court submission, states can submit their complete voter registration information to the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. This federal immigration database will match voter data against federal citizenship and immigration records to ascertain voter eligibility. The infrastructure will include a secure online portal for direct access to federal citizenship information like USCIS, SSA, and the State Department.

Information will remain within federal systems to uphold security, and state election officials will utilize a secure portal for eligibility verification inquiries.