Maricopa County Reinstates 2,000 Voters After Citizenship Proof Blunder

Maricopa County officials confirmed that approximately 2,000 registered voters were incorrectly flagged as needing to provide proof of citizenship for the upcoming election. This issue joins nearly 900 voters from Pinal County who faced similar errors, as first reported by Votebeat on Saturday.

County officials clarified that those flagged voters will not have to provide this proof before 7 p.m. on Election Day. Any ballots affected by previous holds or voids will now be counted, ensuring that all eligible voters can participate in determining outcomes in this critical swing state.

Voters in question had been moved to “not registered status,” which removed them from active voter rolls, according to Maricopa County Recorder’s Office spokesperson Taylor Kinnerup. Initially, those who attempted to cast early ballots had their votes voided. However, Kinnerup stated that efforts were made to restore these ballots, allowing voters to proceed with their participation in the election.

The restoration occurred on October 21, although Kinnerup did not explain why the county reversed its initial decision. After the issue arose in Pinal County, Votebeat proactively inquired with other major counties, including Maricopa, to verify the accuracy of voter information.

While Maricopa and Pinal counties were confirmed to have issues, other counties, including Pima, Yavapai, and Coconino, reported no similar voter flagging problems. The complications originated from two recent court rulings addressing proof of citizenship requirements within the state.

Voters affected had attempted to update their registrations prior to the October 7 deadline, and these modifications triggered flags due to modifications in processing procedures influenced by court mandates. Arizona’s law uniquely requires proof of citizenship for state and local elections, diverging from federal law, which only necessitates an attestation of citizenship.

A ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on August 22 stated that county recorders must reject voter registration forms lacking proof of citizenship, a departure from previous practices that would have allowed federal-only registration. Another ruling on September 20 established that approximately 218,000 individuals, identified as longtime driver’s license holders, would not need to provide proof until after the November election.

After recognizing a recording error, the state modified its system to flag voters from this group who tried to update their registration. Despite these flags, the Secretary of State’s Office advised that these voters should be permitted to vote fully until the elections concluded. However, many in Maricopa and Pinal counties were flagged for proof of citizenship upon attempting to update their records before the deadline, which led to erroneous notifications sent to some voters about necessary documentation.

Kinnerup affirmed that only eligible voters impacted by the previous oversight would be restored to their original registration status to ensure their ability to vote in the upcoming election.