AZ’s Database Fiasco Keeps Harassing Voters, Election Workers

A previously unearthed error within Arizona’s voter registration database that categorized 218,000 registered voters who have not provided proof of citizenship as “full-ballot” voters is still causing major problems for electors and officials leading up to Election Day.

On Saturday, the left-wing Votebeat Arizona reported that Pinal County incorrectly told almost 900 electors whose registration profiles lack documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) and voted early this cycle that they needed to provide such documentation by 7 p.m. local time on Election Day to have their votes counted. According to the outlet, “The county’s decision to flag these voters’ registrations came to light when some of the voters tried to cast an early ballot for Tuesday’s election, and shortly after were notified [of such requirements] by the county recorder’s office.”

Roughly 2,000 Maricopa County electors who voted during the state’s early voting period were similarly instructed by local election officials to provide such proof ahead of Election Day, according to a Sunday report by Votebeat Arizona.

The issue stems back to early September, when Arizona election officials discovered approximately 98,000 registrants on the voter rolls who lack DPOC. The problem reportedly arose from a complication with how the state’s Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) shares information with Arizona’s voter registration database.

In Arizona, voters registering via state registration form must show DPOC to vote in state and local races. Individuals who are unable to provide such documentation are registered as “federal-only” voters and can only cast ballots in federal races.

While alarming, the chaos originating from the state’s discovery only got worse in the days that followed. Democrat Secretary of State Adrian Fontes revealed later that month that officials found an additional 120,000 registered voters lacking DPOC, bringing the total number of affected voters to 218,000.

That announcement came after the Arizona Supreme Court already sided with Fontes and the Arizona GOP in granting affected registrants the ability to vote “full ballot” this fall and effectively delaying requirements these individuals show DPOC until after the 2024 election. This was done in spite of an amicus brief filed by Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona and a state resident, which asked the court to allow the affected registrants to vote “full ballot” but order their votes to be set aside until their citizenship status could be verified.

The nearly 3,000 aforementioned voters whose registrations were flagged by Pinal and Maricopa officials are among these 218,000 registrants lacking DPOC.

[RELATED: Judge Orders Arizona’s Elections Chief To Release The Names Of 218K Voters Lacking Citizenship Proof]

Votebeat Arizona reported that “starting sometime soon after the state discovered the MVD problem, the state reprogrammed its system to flag those 218,000 voters if they tried to make a change to their voter record, to notify the counties that they hadn’t yet provided proof of citizenship.” Fontes’ office, the outlet noted, “provided guidance in early October to county recorders telling them that, even though the system was flagging these voters, they should continue to allow them to vote a full ballot until after November.”

Pinal and Maricopa Counties, however, flagged these registrations as needing to provide DPOC, a move seemingly beneficial for the integrity of elections but not permitted under the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision.

By flagging these registrations, the counties put the counting of these voters’ ballots in limbo. In Maricopa, for example, “[i]f any of those voters cast an early ballot, it appears that the county initially voided their ballots,” according to Votebeat Arizona.

Pinal and Maricopa officials told the outlet the matter has since been resolved and that voters affected by the MVD issue will not have to provide DPOC prior to the Nov. 5 election. While Coconino, Pima, and Yavapai Counties reportedly “said they did not incorrectly flag voters in their systems,” it’s unclear how many other Arizona counties have given similarly incorrect information to affected registrants, according to Votebeat.

Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood