Voter list maintenance refers to the ongoing process states use to ensure voter registration rolls are accurate and up to date. The National Voter Registration Act establishes specific procedures states must follow: they must make reasonable efforts to remove voters who have died or moved out of jurisdiction, but must give voters 90 days advance notice and an opportunity to respond before any removal. States use data from death records, postal service change-of-address notices, and other sources. The 2025-2026 DOJ voter roll controversy centered on whether the federal government could override state list maintenance procedures by demanding sensitive data and imposing its own removal timelines.