The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that nearly 98,000 Arizonans whose voter registration status was in limbo will be able to participate in the full ballot in the upcoming November election. This decision came after a clerical error from 2004 was discovered by the Maricopa County Recorder’s office, which mistakenly granted these individuals voting registration status without documented proof of citizenship. Arizona’s Democratic secretary of state, Adrian Fontes, praised the court’s decision as a victory for the fundamental right to vote. The court ruled that disenfranchising voters en masse was not authorized by state law and would violate due process.
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer filed a lawsuit and worked with Fontes to resolve the issue, leading to the court’s decision on Friday. Both Democratic and Republican officials, including Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda, applauded the decision as a protection of voter voices and a recognition of the importance of providing the franchise to all voters. Despite previous criticisms of Arizona’s voting processes, Swoboda found herself in agreement with Fontes and other election officials in ensuring that the 98,000 voters could participate in the election at all levels, not just at the federal level.
Early voting in Arizona is set to begin on October 9th. The court’s decision will allow these individuals to cast their votes in the upcoming election, following the resolution of the clerical error that had left their voting status in question.
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