A new lawsuit accuses all 15 counties in Arizona of neglecting to remove noncitizens from voter rolls as required by law. Filed by the Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona and resident Yvonne Cahill, the legal challenge is backed by America First Legal (AFL) and former Arizona Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Wright.
The lawsuit claims that election officials across the state have failed to perform proper voter list maintenance to ensure that foreign nationals are not on the voter rolls. “This lawsuit seeks to restore public trust in our State’s electoral system,” the filing states.
The case builds on a complaint filed last month against Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, which alleged that his office failed to remove noncitizens from the county’s voter rolls. Richer’s office responded by stating that they follow the law and prioritize maintaining accurate voter records.
The lawsuit has now been expanded to include all of Arizona’s county recorders. The issue at hand is “Federal-Only Voters” — individuals who register to vote without providing proof of citizenship but are still allowed to participate in federal elections due to a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision. While state law requires proof of citizenship for state elections, the plaintiffs claim that election officials are not doing enough to ensure noncitizens are removed from the rolls.
The plaintiffs are seeking a court order requiring Arizona’s county recorders to comply with voter list maintenance laws and remove ineligible voters to protect the integrity of the state’s elections.
