In a move to bring transparency and bipartisanship to Arizona's election procedure, Governor Katie Hobbs has unveiled the team that will conduct an independent audit of the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). With the goal of ensuring election integrity, this audit will specifically look into the MVD's policies and procedures that affect voter registration data. Leading this bipartisan review will be Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen and former Yuma County Recorder Robyn Stallworth-Pouquette, as reported by the Office of the Arizona Governor.
Following reports of a long-standing data incompatibility issue between the MVD and the statewide voter registration database, this audit aims to directly scrutinize the processes underpinning voter registration. According to the Office of the Arizona Governor, Governor Katie Hobbs stated, "As soon as I became aware of the long-standing data incompatibility issue, I directed the MVD to work swiftly in coordination with election officials to correct the issue.”
The independent audit aims to promptly commence, with expectations to produce a report by January 31, 2025. This report will provide a detailed analysis of the audit findings along with recommendations for improvements.
"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," Hansen told the Office of the Arizona Governor about the upcoming effort. Stallworth-Pouquette also highlighted the critical nature of their work: "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."
The audit stems from a significant technical issue identified with Arizona’s method of validating driver's licenses as proof of citizenship for voter registration. The problem revolved around the management of data for those who acquired licenses prior to October 1, 1996, yet later received duplicate or updated licenses. The corrective measures are already being implemented to address these concerns in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Division and the Secretary of State’s office.
ADOT Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen expressed the division's commitment to assisting the review, stating to the Office of the Arizona Governor, "We look forward to working with this bipartisan review, sharing information on MVD processes and the suitability of our data for voter registration purposes. We will continue making improvements to assist elections officials in the voter registration process in Arizona."
