PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Arizona’s 15 counties have initiated a process to verify and remove noncitizens from their voter lists. Nearly 50,000 registrations without proof of U.S. citizenship are under review.
👥 Who’s Involved: America First Legal (AFL) led the initiative, filing a lawsuit on behalf of EZAZ.org and naturalized citizen Yvonne Cahill. The counties are collaborating with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for verification.
📍 Where & When: This process is occurring across all counties in Arizona, set into motion after a lawsuit was filed last year.
💬 Key Quote: James Rogers, AFL senior counsel, stated, “This settlement is a great result for all Arizonans.”
⚠️ Impact: The verification effort aims to secure election integrity by ensuring only citizens can vote in state and local elections. Confirmed citizens will be transferred to regular voter lists, while noncitizens will have their registrations canceled.
IN FULL:
Arizona election officials have started verifying the citizenship status of registered voters following a legal settlement stemming from a lawsuit filed late last year. The verification process includes reviewing the state’s “federal-only voters” list, which comprises approximately 50,000 registrants who have not provided proof of U.S. citizenship. State law mandates that voters on the list undergo verification in order to participate in state and local elections.
The voter roll purge resulted from a lawsuit filed by America First Legal (AFL) on behalf of EZAZ.org and Yvonne Cahill, a naturalized citizen and registered voter. AFL’s lawsuit argued that the counties failed to adhere to state legislation demanding monthly checks for noncitizens among voter rolls. As a result of the settlement, Arizona’s 15 counties are working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to validate the status of voters. County officials previously faced criticism for not utilizing available resources to check citizenship, which Arizona law requires.
Although the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 prevented states from enforcing voter registration requirements beyond the federal obligation to affirm citizenship, Arizona law continues to enforce proof of citizenship for voting in state and local elections. The state law also requires monthly verification by county recorders to ensure registrants on the so-called “federal-only” list, which includes nearly 50,000 individuals, hold U.S. citizenship.
“This will help County Recorders find and remove any aliens on their voter rolls,” says AFL’s James Rogers, adding: “It will also potentially enfranchise federal-only voters whose citizenship is confirmed, which would allow them to vote in state and local elections. AFL congratulates each of Arizona’s 15 county recorders for taking this bold and important step for election integrity in the state.”
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