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Urge your U.S. senator to oppose the SAVE America Act or ensure any new requirements come with dedicated federal funding, adequate implementation time, and flexibility for local election systems.
Elections in the United States are primarily carried out by state and local governments — counties alone run more than 100,000 polling places supported by 770,000 certified poll workers. The SAVE America Act (H.R. 7296/S. 1383) proposes significant new federal requirements on state and local election systems without providing dedicated funding, sufficient implementation time, or flexibility for the wide variation in election systems administered at the local level. Election administrators would need to redesign systems, hire and train workers, integrate databases, and conduct voter education while voters themselves would need time to obtain required documentation. Moving forward without these safeguards risks creating administrative barriers for eligible voters, placing new legal and operational burdens on election workers and undermining confidence in the election process.
100K+
Polling places
100K+ polling places operated by county governments nationwide
770K
Certified poll workers
770K certified poll workers supported by counties across the U.S.
11.3x
Estimated implementation costs
11.3x estimated implementation costs vs. current HAVA funding (~$510M per cycle)
NACo Advocacy
Explore NACo's advocacy and key reference documents for county staff and leadership.
Policy Brief
NACo SAVE America Act Policy Brief
Full analysis of eight key county concerns, including unfunded mandates, implementation timelines, and voter documentation barriers.
Coalition Letter
NACo Letter to Congress: SAVE Act
NACo’s formal letter to Congress outlining county concerns with the SAVE America Act and requesting amendments before final passage.
Coalition Letter
NACo Letter to Congress: MEGA Act
NACo’s letter to Congress on the MEGA Act, raising county concerns about related election administration provisions.
Senate to vote on SAVE America Act; Major impacts to county election administration
NACo’s analysis following the Senate vote and what it means for how counties administer elections.
Take Action
Urge your U.S. senator to oppose the SAVE America Act or ensure any new requirements come with dedicated federal funding, adequate implementation time, and flexibility for local election systems.
County Official Template Letter — Contact Your U.S. Senator
This customizable template is designed for county commissioners, executives and administrators to contact their U.S. senator directly. Personalize with your county’s name, the election programs you administer, and local examples of how these requirements would affect service delivery, staffing or budget. Constituent letters from county officials carry significant weight on Capitol Hill.
Key County Concerns
NACo has identified eight primary concerns with the SAVE America Act. The six most significant are summarized below; see the full policy brief for complete analysis.
Unfunded Mandate
New federal requirements with no dedicated funding leave counties responsible for system redesign, staffing, training, and legal compliance. Estimated costs exceed HAVA funding by 11.3x — roughly $510M per election cycle.
Federal Preemption of State Law
The bill imposes a uniform federal standard on a system intentionally governed by state law, creating direct conflicts for local administrators — without legal guidance on how to reconcile them.
Insufficient Implementation Time
The bill takes effect immediately with no transition period. Successful implementation requires 18–24 months at minimum; early voting has already started in some jurisdictions.
Voter Documentation Barriers
Standard REAL ID-compliant licenses do not verify citizenship; only enhanced licenses do, issued by just five states. Studies estimate ~109.8 million registered voters may lack a qualifying document.
Criminal Liability for Election Workers
Criminal penalties for officials without clear liability definitions. With ~50% of counties already struggling to recruit poll workers — 59% of whom are over 61 — this chills participation in an already-strained workforce.
One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington conduct elections primarily by mail and would be forced to entirely redesign their systems under a uniform in-person verification model.
In most states, county governments play a key role in administering federal, state, and local elections. The resources below connect county officials with tools, funding, and guidance from federal, state, and nonprofit partners.
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)
The EAC is the primary source of federal grants and clearinghouse information for election administration under HAVA.
DHS / CISA & Department of Justice
CISA provides cybersecurity and infrastructure protection resources. DOJ oversees the Byrne JAG Program, which since 2022 may be used to protect election workers.
Common questions about how county elections work and what this legislation would change.
- Who is responsible for election administration at the county level?
It varies by state. Most states have an elected official such as a county clerk or recorder; others have appointed directors. Counties oversee elections in 36 states; six share responsibility with municipalities; four have no county role; and two have distinct systems. - What federal funds are currently available to counties for elections?
The main source is HAVA’s Election Security Grant. For FY 2026, Congress appropriated $45 million — a figure the SAVE America Act’s estimated implementation costs would exceed by 11.3 times. The Homeland Security Preparedness Grant Program and Byrne JAG Program also provide supplemental support. - Are voting machines connected to the internet?
No. While some polling places may have WiFi, voting machines are not connected to the internet. In most states it is explicitly illegal to do so. Some counties allow ballot scanners to connect to private networks for administrative purposes only. - Why does it sometimes take days to report final election results?
State laws may prohibit processing ballots until polls close; limited resources affect tabulation speed; and mail ballots arriving close to Election Day take additional time. Election night results are always unofficial — only certified results are final. - Are private grants allowed to assist election administration?
In limited circumstances. As of end of 2023, 24 states have enacted laws restricting acceptance of private contributions. Congressional legislation restricting private funding has been introduced but not passed.
NACo Elections Resources
County Election Administration Federal Advocacy Toolkit
The nation’s 3,069 counties traditionally administer and fund elections at the local level, including overseeing polling places and coordinating poll workers for federal, state and local elections.
America’s County Governments: A Primer on County-Level Election Administration
NACo's research brief highlights the county role in administering elections. It discusses the scope of responsibilities, variations in local election systems and canvassing procedures, and funding for election costs.
The County Role in Elections: How Counties Administer Secure Elections
The nation’s 3,069 counties traditionally administer and fund elections at the local level, including overseeing polling places and coordinating poll workers for federal, state and local elections.
NACo urges Congress to protect HAVA Election Security Grants in FY 2027
NACo sent a letter to congressional leaders urging the Senate to restore Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Election Security Grants to at least the FY 2026 enacted level of $45 million in the FY 2027 FSGG appropriations bill.
White House issues Executive Order on mail-in ballot procedures and citizenship verification
White House issues Executive Order on mail-in ballot procedures and citizenship verification
Senate to vote on SAVE America Act; Major impacts to county election administration
NACo’s analysis following the Senate vote and what it means for how counties administer elections.
MEGA Act moves in House; NACo raises county concerns
On Feb. 10, the U.S. House Committee on Administration held a hearing to consider the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act (H.R. 7300), which was introduced by Committee Chairman Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis).
House passes SAVE America Act; Major impacts on county election administration
Next week, the U.S. House of Representatives is slated to vote on the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R. 22), making it the chamber’s second vote on a version of the legislation in less than a year.