Error in Tracking Citizenship Leaves Nearly 100,000 Arizona Voters in Eligibility Limbo

Arizona is facing a significant voter registration issue, potentially impacting nearly 100,000 registered voters. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes announced on Tuesday that a malfunction in state systems was discovered just prior to the scheduled distribution of mail ballots.

Many voters were mistakenly classified as having provided sufficient proof of U.S. citizenship when they registered. However, it remains uncertain whether they actually met the requirement. This error is linked to how the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) transmits driver’s license data to the voter registration system. Affected individuals obtained their Arizona driver’s licenses before October 1996 and later received duplicate replacements after 2004.

Arizona’s voter laws mandate proof of U.S. citizenship for state and local elections, a rule enacted in 2005. Voters who have not supplied this proof should be categorized as “federal only” voters and permitted to vote solely in presidential and congressional elections.

The issue has persisted for about twenty years, spanning multiple administrations, leading officials to question why it went unnoticed for so long. Fontes noted that the problem came to light when a Maricopa County worker identified a voter mistakenly registered as a full-ballot voter, who, in reality, held a green card and was ineligible to vote.

Gov. Katie Hobbs has instructed the MVD to address the error, along with initiating an independent audit to ensure its systems properly support voter registration. Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer confirmed that his team had flagged this issue.

The timing of this revelation coincides with growing Republican concerns over potential noncitizen voting in federal elections, despite a lack of evidence suggesting widespread instances of such cases. Experts emphasize that noncitizens face grave consequences, including prison time and deportation, for attempting to vote unlawfully.

Amid these developments, Congressional Republicans are advocating for legislation requiring documented proof of citizenship for federal voting, similar to Arizona’s requirements for state elections. With Arizona being a crucial swing state, the stakes are high as the presidential election approaches.

As the deadline for mail ballots looms, officials are grappling with how to proceed. Maricopa County plans to file a lawsuit in the Arizona Supreme Court to seek a ruling that allows voters with questionable records to participate in federal elections while restricting their ability to vote in state and local contests. Fontes has expressed a desire to maintain these voters’ full-ballot status.

Approximately 97,000 voters in this situation are predominantly Republican and fall within the 45 to 60 age range. This mix-up occurred due to how the MVD categorizes drivers’ licenses when interfacing with the voter registration system.

In Arizona, a driver’s license can remain valid for years without renewal, allowing many individuals to retain the same license since before 1996. An important procedural change mandates that officials examine a driver’s license issue date to determine citizenship proof. However, the MVD had been adjusting this date when licenses were replaced or updated, misguiding election officials into believing voters were in compliance with citizenship proof requirements.

This chain of errors has ultimately led to these voters being inaccurately classified, raising concerns over their eligibility to vote. The complicated interplay of Arizona’s voter registration systems highlights the complexities of electoral integrity.

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access.