30,000 Pima County Voters Face Citizenship Verification Challenge

Tens of thousands of long-term residents in Pima County face a critical request: prove their citizenship to remain on the voter rolls. The Pima County Recorder’s Office announced on Friday that it is mailing letters to voters impacted by a significant glitch affecting approximately 200,000 registered voters across Arizona.

This issue stems from a state discovery in 2024, revealing that many individuals who registered to vote through the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division lacked documented proof of citizenship. Those affected acquired their driver’s licenses before October 1, 1996, when Arizona law stipulated that residents must demonstrate legal residency for licensing. The automated system mistakenly recorded citizenship documentation for these drivers during license renewals, regardless of whether they had provided such documents.

In January, the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office provided Pima County with a list of 31,874 voters for verification purposes. Under the guidance of Recorder Gabriella Cazares-Kelly, the office scrutinized the MVD database and various government resources to confirm citizenship status, according to spokesperson Mike Truelsen. As of now, the office still needs to evaluate about 7,000 records but has verified the citizenship of approximately 5 percent of the individuals on the list.

Despite the ongoing assessment, affected voters will soon receive letters outlining the necessary steps to provide proof of citizenship. In September 2024, the Arizona Supreme Court mandated that these voters should not lose their voting rights for the upcoming election, alleviating immediate concerns about participation in the March 11 election regarding Prop. 414 in Tucson.

While voters are permitted to continue casting ballots amidst this transition, the Recorder’s Office advises recipients of the citizenship verification letters to address the matter swiftly. This precaution is to ensure compliance with any potential changes that future legislation or judicial decisions may bring.

Those receiving the letters must respond by submitting copies of key documents, such as a birth certificate, U.S. passport, U.S. citizenship certificate, or tribal ID, using the provided self-addressed, postage-paid envelope. Alternatives include emailing the documents to VoterDocs@recorder.pima.gov or delivering them in person at the Pima County Recorder’s Office. It’s crucial to send copies, as originals will not be returned.

Once documented proof of citizenship is established, Recorder’s Office spokesperson Truelsen assured that these voters’ records will be updated, eliminating the need to provide documentation again in the future. For further inquiries, residents can visit the Recorder’s Office website or contact them at 520-724-4330.