Arizona Supreme Court Allows 98,000 Without Confirmed Citizenship Documents to Vote

The Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling on Friday allows nearly 98,000 people whose proof of citizenship documents had not been confirmed to vote in state and local races. This decision follows the discovery of a database error that allowed individuals who had not provided proof of citizenship to vote the full ballot for almost two decades. The county recorder and the state’s top election official disagreed on the status of these affected voters. Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer filed an emergency petition challenging guidance from Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes regarding voters without documented proof of citizenship. The state Supreme Court sided with Fontes, stating that county recorders do not have the authority to remove these voters from being able to cast ballots in upcoming elections. Arizona residents have been required to provide proof of citizenship since the passing of Proposition 200 in 2004. Despite the error in the voter registration database, state officials confirmed that these affected voters can participate in all elections. The court emphasized the importance of not disenfranchising voters and cautioned against changing election procedures close to voting time. Both Richer and Fontes welcomed the ruling, with Richer expressing gratitude on social media for the court’s swift review and collaboration with Fontes to address the error. Fontes, in turn, thanked Richer for his partnership. Could you please provide a rewritten version of the text?

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