Nearly 100,000 “voters” in Arizona could lose their ability to vote in state and local elections after it was discovered that they had not provided the required proof of citizenship. Arizona law has required documented proof since 2004, but an administrative error allowed many individuals to receive full ballots without the necessary verification.
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer explained that the error occurred when voters with driver’s licenses issued before 1996 obtained duplicate licenses. The state system misread these duplicates as new licenses, indicating that proof of citizenship had been provided, which was not the case.
As a result, these voters were able to cast ballots in state and local elections, even though they should have been limited to federal-only ballots. Federal-only voters, as defined by Arizona law, are permitted to vote in presidential and congressional elections but not in state or local races.
Richer has called for these voters to be restricted to federal-only ballots, in line with state law. However, Arizona’s Secretary of State has expressed concerns about making this change so close to the election, arguing it could disenfranchise voters.
With legal uncertainty surrounding the issue, both parties are turning to the courts to provide a clear answer on how to proceed. Arizona Clean Elections has outlined the key differences between federal-only and full ballots, noting that only voters who provide valid proof of citizenship and residency can participate in all election levels.
