PHOENIX — Governor Katie Hobbs has announced a bipartisan review of MVD policies and procedures following a coding issue that has impacted the voter registration status for approximately 218,000 Arizonans.
The review will be conducted by Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen and former Yuma County Recorder Robyn Stallworth-Pouquette, according to Governor Katie Hobbs' office.
The review's goal is to examine the policies and procedures for using MVD data for voter registration.
At the end of the review, the pair will produce a report with findings and suggested improvements by January 31, 2025.
“As soon as I became aware of the long-standing data incompatibility issue, I directed MVD to work swiftly in coordination with election officials to correct the issue,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “And now, out of an abundance of caution, it’s important that we have a thorough audit of all MVD policies and procedures related to voter registration to ensure MVD is doing everything they can to support our election officials. I’m thankful to Recorders Hansen and Stallworth-Pouquette for bringing bipartisan leadership to this independent audit and I look forward to reviewing their findings.”
Gov. Hobbs announced plans to review the procedures that led to the glitch on Sept. 17. Friday the bipartisan team behind the review was named.
“This audit of MVD procedures and requirements will help election officials improve the voter registration system going forward and I’m honored to work with Robyn to provide our elections expertise and oversight,” said Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen.
The computer-coding error stems from the voter-approved Arizona law in 2004 that requires voters to document their citizenship in order to cast a ballot in state and local elections. Richer said this "flaw" had been in place since 2004.
A driver's license issued in Arizona after 1996 was considered, under the law, to be a valid proof of citizenship. But if someone who received a license before 1996 and then had it replaced sometime after 1996, the database would show them as having received the license on the date that the duplicate was issued.
Therefore, the system would not alert the county that the license was originally issued before 1996.
“Ensuring election officials have the information needed from the MVD to successfully carry out voter registration is vital to the integrity of our election system,” said former Yuma County Recorder Robyn Stallworth-Poquette.
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
