Arizona to Remove Up to 50,000 Ineligible Voters Following Settlement

Arizona has agreed to a major overhaul of its voter registration process, potentially impacting up to 50,000 "federal-only voters"—individuals who are eligible to vote in federal elections but have not submitted proof of citizenship, as required for state and local voting.

The change comes after a lawsuit filed by America First Legal (AFL), which argued that counties across the state were not complying with laws that require verification of citizenship for voter registration. As part of a newly reached settlement, Arizona’s 15 counties have committed to working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to validate the citizenship status of those on the federal-only voter rolls.

According to legal documents, counties will now be “asking DHS to begin responding to requests … to verify the citizenship of each county’s federal-only voters,” a key element of the agreement that led to the dismissal of the lawsuit.

Arizona’s Maricopa County explained its role in the process, stating it had “initiated communications” with DHS and emphasized its duty to “maintain accurate voter registration rolls.” Similarly, Coconino County acknowledged it had not previously requested citizenship status checks from DHS, which is now expected to change.

“This settlement is a great result for all Arizonans,”

Rogers highlighted that the agreement would not only help to “find and remove any aliens on their voter rolls,” but could also “potentially enfranchise federal-only voters whose citizenship is confirmed,” giving them full access to vote in state and local elections.

Arizona law has long required proof of citizenship for residents to vote in local and state contests. However, due to federal regulations, voters without such documentation can still participate in federal races. AFL contended that local election offices were not fully utilizing available federal databases to confirm voters' eligibility—prompting the legal action.

“Arizona law is clear: counties must confirm the citizenship of federal-only voters,”

The new verification efforts mark a significant push toward election integrity in a state that flipped back to Donald Trump in 2024, after narrowly supporting Joe Biden in 2020—a result clouded by ongoing debates over election procedures and integrity.

By implementing this agreement, Arizona could see a sweeping clean-up of its federal-only voter list, reinforcing confidence in its electoral systems ahead of future elections.