Phoenix, AZ — Arizona’s Secretary of State Adrian Fontes announced today that an additional 120,000 residents could be impacted by a voter registration system error, bringing the total affected to 218,000 voters. This comes just weeks before the November 5 election and stems from a discrepancy in the state’s Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) interface, which failed to flag certain voters who may not have provided proof of citizenship as required by state law.
The error was first identified in early September, when the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office discovered a glitch that affected residents who obtained their Arizona driver’s licenses before October 1, 1996, and received duplicate licenses later. The system incorrectly assumed the MVD had proof of citizenship on file for these voters. As a result, individuals who had not provided proper documentation were still marked as eligible for state elections, despite only being able to participate in federal elections without citizenship proof under U.S. law.
“All impacted residents will still receive full ballots for the upcoming elections,” said Secretary Fontes. “We are actively working with multiple state agencies to ensure this issue is addressed before the election.”
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on September 20 that 98,000 voters initially identified by the error would not be disenfranchised, and the ruling now applies to the newly identified voters. Of the 218,000 potentially affected, 79,000 are Republicans, 76,000 are unaffiliated, and 61,000 are Democrats.
This issue was uncovered after a Maricopa County voter file showed discrepancies in proof of citizenship records, leading to further investigation by state agencies. Voters are urged to check their registration status and provide any necessary documentation to ensure their eligibility.
For more information on this issue, please contact the Arizona Secretary of State’s office or visit the state’s voter registration website.
