The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 19, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
Voting in state and local elections is at risk for an estimated 97,000 longtime Arizona voters due to a proof of citizenship data tracking problem at the DMV.
Three facts to start. The Arizona Mirror and Votebeat report that Arizonans have had to provide proof of citizenship for driver’s licenses since 1996; state’s driver’s licenses aren’t routinely renewed until after age 65; and Arizona began requiring proof of citizenship for voting in 2005.
Beginning in 2005, election officials asked existing voters with licenses issued before 1996 for proof of citizenship. But if a driver’s license issued before 1996 needed to be replaced, it was given a new date of issue. Election officials then didn’t know to ask for citizenship documents for an estimated 97,000 voters.
The Arizona Secretary of State announced the problem September 17th, and plans to move quickly, with mail ballots due to be mailed in less than a month.
In addition to its “full ballot” with local, state and federal races, Arizona also has a “federal-only” ballot used by many Native Americans and students, who sometimes don’t have, or have available, citizenship documents. Worst-case, the 97,000 affected voters could use the federal only ballot but the Secretary of State was advocating for allowing those voters to vote with the full ballot in November.
We’ve linked to local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Office of Governor Katie Hobbs – Governor Katie Hobbs Statement on Administrative Issue With AVID and Its Interface With MVD
Arizona Mirror/Votebeat – Error with tracking citizenship puts nearly 100,000 Arizona voters’ eligibility in limbo
KATR News – Interview with Maricopa County Recorder
Check Your Voter Registration:
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
- USA Vote Foundation – Registration, Eligibility, State Election Office Links
- Vote.Gov – Register to Vote in Your State
- Vote.Org – Check Your Registration to Vote
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#Democracy #DemocracyNews #ArizonaNews #VoterRegistration