Governor Katie Hobbs Announces Independent, Bipartisan Audit of MVD Policies on Voter Registration

Governor Katie Hobbs Announces Independent, Bipartisan Audit of MVD Policies on Voter Registration

Coconino and Former Yuma County Recorders to Lead Review of MVD Procedures, Ensuring Integrity in Arizona’s Voter Data

PHOENIX – Governor Katie Hobbs announced Friday that Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen and former Yuma County Recorder Robyn Stallworth-Pouquette will lead the independent, bipartisan audit of the Motor Vehicle Division’s (MVD) policies and procedures. The audit aims to ensure that voter registration data provided by the MVD is accurate and fully supports election officials in meeting Arizona’s voter registration requirements.

The audit, announced in September following the discovery of a long-standing data incompatibility issue, will focus on MVD data used in voter registration processes. The review will begin immediately and produce a comprehensive report by January 31, 2025, with findings and recommendations for improvements.

Governor Hobbs emphasized the importance of this effort, saying, “As soon as I became aware of the data issue, I directed MVD to coordinate with election officials. This audit will provide a thorough review to ensure that MVD is doing everything necessary to support our election system. I’m grateful to Recorders Hansen and Stallworth-Pouquette for bringing their bipartisan expertise to this critical review.”


Patty Hansen and Robyn Stallworth-Pouquette will use their extensive experience in election oversight to lead the audit, providing recommendations aimed at improving data integrity and enhancing voter confidence. “This audit will help ensure that MVD data is properly utilized for voter registration,” said Hansen. “I’m honored to work with Robyn on this bipartisan effort to strengthen our election processes.”

Robyn Stallworth-Pouquette echoed these sentiments, highlighting the audit’s importance in upholding election integrity: “Making sure election officials receive the correct information from MVD is crucial to our voting system. I look forward to working alongside Patty to improve and refine these procedures.”

The MVD has a long history of collaborating with election officials, and the division’s director, Eric Jorgensen, expressed full support for the audit. “We welcome this bipartisan review and will continue working to improve our processes to support voter registration across Arizona,” Jorgensen said.

Background on the Data Incompatibility Issue

Arizona law, in place since December 8, 2004, requires proof of citizenship for “full-ballot” voter registration. If applicants don’t provide documentary proof, they can only register as “federal-only” voters. The MVD provides voter registration data through a system called AVID, which relies on driver’s license issuance dates to confirm proof of citizenship.

However, a programming issue with AVID affected voters whose licenses were issued before October 1, 1996. If these voters received duplicate, renewed, or replacement licenses after that date, the system incorrectly recorded the updated issuance date, potentially impacting their voter registration status.

Upon discovering the issue in September, Governor Hobbs swiftly directed MVD to correct the problem in collaboration with the Secretary of State’s office. The resolution has already been implemented, but the audit will ensure all procedures are thoroughly examined and improved where necessary.