Federal Only Voter Issue Needs Investigation – good on Kelly Townsend for advancing this issue!
From Kelly Townsend 6/23/2021 Facebook Page
I am pleased that my amendment to SB1819 was adopted and passed, having to do with cleaning up the Federal only voter issue. Please see the fact sheet info below:
1. Requires the Secretary of State (SOS) to provide access to the statewide voter registration database to a person or entity that is designated by the Legislature and to the Election Integrity Unit of the Attorney General’s (AG’s) Office for the purpose of determining whether the SOS’s voter registration list maintenance procedures comply with federal law with respect to voters who are registered as eligible to vote only for federal offices (federal-only voters).
2. Requires the person or entity designated by the Legislature to be qualified in more than one state to analyze a state’s voter registration rolls for compliance with federal law regarding voter registration list maintenance procedures.
3. Requires the person or entity, after completing its analysis, to report its findings to the Legislature, AG and SOS.
4. Requires the SOS, if the analysis determines that there are person registered to vote who are not eligible to register to vote, to notify the appropriate county recorder and requires county recorders to remove those persons from the voter registration rolls.
5. Requires each county recorder to submit an annual report to the Legislature that contains the following regarding federal-only voters: a) a description of the county recorder’s procedures regarding registering federal-only voters; b) the number of federal-only voters in the county; c) the number of voters whose citizenship has been otherwise subsequently verified and whose status has changed to voters who are eligible to vote a full ballot; d) a comprehensive description of the obstacles to obtaining voter registrants’ documentary proof of citizenship that complies with Arizona’s voter registration requirements and to changing their status to voters who are eligible to vote a full ballot; and e) the number of voters who have been subsequently determined to be ineligible to vote in Arizona and who have been removed from the voter registration rolls.
6. Requires the AG and county attorney to investigate and prosecute, as appropriate, any person who knowingly registers to vote despite being ineligible.
7. Requires the SOS, by December 31, 2021 and pursuant to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, to submit a request to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission that the Commission include Arizona’s state-specific instructions to provide proof of citizenship on the federal voter registration form.
