Voter Advocacy Groups Threaten Lawsuit Over SAVE Kansas Act

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the League of Women Voters of Kansas have notified Secretary of State Scott Schwab of a potential lawsuit challenging House Bill 2437, known as the SAVE Kansas Act. The organizations allege the state law, which took effect July 1, 2026, conflicts with the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993.

The law allows the Secretary of State to cross-reference voter rolls with federal databases, including the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database and the Social Security Administration, to rapidly remove ineligible voters. Additionally, the statute restricts voter registration to .gov domains or Secretary of State-endorsed websites, establishing non-compliance as a misdemeanor.

Democratic Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the bill in March over concerns that it would suppress civic engagement and violate federal disclosure laws, but the Republican-led Kansas Legislature overrode her veto. While Schwab endorsed the law as a means of maintaining accurate voter rolls, critics argue the process risks the improper deletion of valid registrations, particularly those belonging to naturalized citizens.