BATON ROUGE, LA — Louisiana lawmakers have advanced a bill requiring election officials to send personal data on all registered voters to the federal government, sparking debate over election security and privacy rights.
House Bill 691, sponsored by Republican Rep. Beau Beaullieu, passed the state House in a 74-29 vote. The measure would mandate that the Secretary of State submit voter information—including addresses, birthdates, and Social Security numbers—to the Department of Homeland Security for verification using its SAVE database, a system typically used to confirm eligibility for government benefits.
Supporters argue the policy strengthens election integrity by identifying noncitizens on voter rolls. State officials previously shared limited data and identified nearly 400 noncitizens registered to vote, with 79 having cast ballots over several decades.
Opponents, including Democratic lawmakers, warn the bill could expose sensitive personal information and lead to errors from outdated federal data, potentially resulting in wrongful voter challenges or removals. Critics also question whether the benefits justify the privacy risks.
If passed by the Senate, the measure would require annual data submissions and investigations into flagged individuals, continuing a broader national push to tighten voter eligibility enforcement.
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