MVD Citizenship Proof ‘Glitch’ Hits 218,000 Voters: A Rising Concern

State elections officials in Arizona have identified an additional 120,000 voters who are improperly registered due to a glitch in the state’s driver’s license database. This brings the total to 218,000 affected voters, a figure that could continue to rise as investigations unfold.

This glitch, first noted two weeks ago, revealed that about 98,000 individuals registered to vote in the last two decades were incorrectly marked as having provided proof of citizenship. The error primarily impacts those with pre-1996 driver’s licenses who requested replacements.

The Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that the new findings have uncovered long-time Arizona residents who were never required to prove their citizenship. This oversight in data coding has resulted in a significant number of voters, including 79,000 registered Republicans, 61,000 Democrats, and 76,000 from other parties, being affected.

In Arizona, individuals who cannot provide proof of citizenship are limited to voting in federal races only. This limitation stems from a 2004 ballot measure mandating proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes emphasized that these voters were mistakenly categorized as having provided necessary documentation. State agencies are actively working to resolve the issue, with plans to notify the affected individuals after the upcoming general election. Nonetheless, those impacted are still eligible to vote a full ballot in the meantime.

In response to the incident, Governor Katie Hobbs has ordered an independent audit of the Motor Vehicle Division’s registration system. The revelation comes just five weeks prior to the November 5 election and shortly before early voting commences on October 9. Ballots for overseas and military voters have already been distributed.

The Arizona Supreme Court previously ruled on September 20 that voters affected by this error can still cast full ballots, a decision that remains unchanged despite the recent discoveries.

This situation was initially flagged to Fontes’ office by a Maricopa County employee. Fontes criticized Proposition 200, the law that necessitates documentary proof of citizenship to register, labeling it as an “extreme law” that addresses a vanishingly rare problem.

Fontes stated, “These registrants have met the same legal standard as every other American who registers to vote: swearing under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens. We can’t risk denying actual citizens the right to vote due to an error out of their control. This issue is another example of why we need to fund elections, update systems and staff, and continue our tradition of safe, fair, and secure elections.”

The matter has gained even more attention in light of leaked audio discussions among Fontes, Hobbs, and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. They expressed concern over potential reactions from conspiracy theorists, despite the rarity of non-citizen voting.