Alert: Groups Demand County Recorders Purge Foreign Nationals from Voter Rolls

By Matthew Holloway |

America First Legal, representing the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona, has issued a formal reminder to county recorders. The letter emphasizes their duty to purge voter rolls of foreign nationals before the November 2024 General Election as required by House Bill 2492. This legislation was authored by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club in 2022.

Scot Mussi, President of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, voiced concerns in a press release. “With the General Election quickly approaching, Arizonans still have serious concerns about the integrity of their votes – and for good reasons,” he noted.

We’ve officially put county recorders on alert: Failure to adhere to their responsibilities under the law may result in legal action.

— Arizona Free Enterprise Club (@azfec) July 17, 2024

Mussi further criticized any county’s failure to comply with the law. “It is unconscionable why any county would fail to clean its voter rolls to ensure that only American citizens are able to vote in U.S. elections. We intend to follow through with aggressive litigation should any of these elections’ officials ignore our request for strict compliance with state and federal laws. Arizonans deserve no less.”

House Bill 2492, signed into law by then-Governor Doug Ducey, mandates proof of citizenship for voter registration. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld this requirement, affirming that voters without proof of citizenship will be rejected. This law necessitates county officials to record their verification efforts meticulously.

BREAKING: NINTH CIRCUIT COURT UPHOLDS ARIZONA’S VOTER CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of election integrity in Arizona, stating that voters who register without proof of citizenship will be rejected.

The court’s decision…

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 18, 2024

The legal consequences for non-compliance are severe. County recorders who fail to verify citizenship status and knowingly allow non-citizens to vote risk a class 6 felony charge. The letter provides three key arguments to bolster the importance of compliance:

First, both state and federal laws prohibit foreign nationals from voting or registering to vote, with significant immigration-related repercussions for violations. According to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, there are 35,273 registered voters who have not provided proof of citizenship as of April 2024.

Second, state and federal mandates require routine maintenance of voter lists to exclude foreign nationals. Arizona law necessitates monthly validation of federal-only voters’ citizenship, and the Help America Vote Act enforces the removal of ineligible voters.

Finally, county recorders have access to Department of Homeland Security resources to verify voter citizenship status. The DHS is obligated to provide this information under U.S. Congressional provisions, which include legal actions for non-compliance.

James Rogers of America First Legal Foundation, who signed the letter, outlines specific steps to be completed by July 23rd. County recorders must confirm that they have requested DHS verification, submitted voter lists to the Attorney General, and posted the number of federal-only voters on their respective websites.

Should the county recorders neglect these directives, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona stated they are prepared to pursue legal action to enforce compliance.