The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s “What Is True?” team investigated online claims about the recently passed voter registration law known as the SHIELD Act.
Results: Some online claims were misleading.
Officially known as the Safeguard Honest Integrity in Elections for Lasting Democracy Act, the SHIELD Act changes how Mississippi verifies U.S. citizenship for voter registration. It will take effect before the 2026 general election.
Q: How does the SHIELD Act affect new voter registrations?
Under the current system, new voter applicants are required to test their U.S. citizenship under penalty of perjury. The state then verifies their claim through the Department of Public Safety. Falsely claiming citizenship for voter registration can result in criminal charges at the state and federal levels.
The SHIELD Act, however, will require local registrars to verify new applicants’ U.S. citizenship through the SAVE database. Managed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the SAVE database is a service that helps agencies verify immigration and citizenship status for government benefit eligibility.
Q: Have other states used the SAVE database?
Yes, about two dozen states have started using the SAVE database. However, those state governments have reported serious issues with the system.
The Mississippi State Capitol is seen in Jackson. The SHIELD Act, a new state law changing how voter citizenship is verified for registration, is set to take effect before the 2026 general election.
Utah Republican Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson told reporters at the Utah News Dispatch that the SAVE database “is notoriously inaccurate and frequently flags individuals who are, in fact, citizens.”
Independent studies also suggest that error rates could be high enough to risk wrongful voter removal, particularly for naturalized citizens.
Q: What happens if the system flags a voter applicant?
If an applicant is flagged as a potential noncitizen, the local registrar will notify the person and allow 30 days to submit proof of citizenship. Accepted documents include birth certificates, U.S. passports, and naturalization or citizenship certificates.
Q: Will the SHIELD Act affect voters already registered in Mississippi?
Yes. The SHIELD Act requires the secretary of state to compare the entire statewide voter roll with the SAVE database annually. The “ineligible matches” will be sent to county registrars for action. However, the law does not specify what those actions entail.
Q: If a registered voter is flagged, will that person be notified?
Not necessarily. The law does not specify that the state must notify a registered voter who has been flagged. It states only that the names of flagged voters will be sent to county registrars for action.
This article first appeared on RHCJC and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
