PHOENIX (AP) – Nearly 100,000 voters who haven’t submitted citizenship documents might be prevented from participating in Arizona’s state in the United States (US) and local elections, a significant number for the battleground state where races have been tight.
The announcement on Tuesday of an error in state-run databases that reclassified voters comes just four days before county election officials are required to mail ballots to uniformed and overseas voters.
Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said the error was resolved on Tuesday morning, but the voter status of those caught up in it hasn’t. Fontes and Stephen Richer, the Republican recorder for Maricopa County, disagree over whether the voters should have access to the full ballot or the ability to vote only in federal races. Richer filed a special action on Tuesday asking the state Supreme Court to settle the question.
“It is my position that these registrants have not satisfied Arizona’s documented proof of citizenship law, and therefore can only vote a ‘FED ONLY’ ballot,” Richer wrote on the social platform X.
Arizona is unique among states in that it requires voters to prove their citizenship to participate in local and state races. Those who haven’t but have sworn to it under the penalty of law are allowed to participate only in federal elections.
