Update for Maricopa County Voters Needing to Provide Documentary Proof of Citizenship

The incorrect letter was mailed first and can be identified by the header “HAVE YOU MOVED?” in bold capital letters. It states that you obtained a driver’s license in another state and instructs you to confirm whether you still reside in Arizona. It looks like this:

The correct letter includes a bolded message at the top explaining that the previous mailing was sent in error. It then informs you that you are among the voters affected by the MVD glitch and provides instructions on how to submit proof of citizenship to our office.

• A legible copy of a US passport
• A legible copy of a US birth certificate
• A naturalization certificate number or a legible photocopy of U.S. naturalization certificate
• A tribal ID number or a legible photocopy of your Tribal Certificate of Indian Blood or Tribal or Bureau of Indian Affairs Affidavit of Birth

You can submit your citizenship documentation through one of the following convenient methods:

Email: Attach copies of documents as .jpg or .pdf and send them to [email protected]

Mail: Send your paperwork to

Maricopa County Recorder's Office
Attn: Voter Registration
301 W Jefferson St, Suite 705
Phoenix, Arizona 85003

In-Person: Deliver documents to our office at

301 W. Jefferson Street
2nd floor, Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85003

If you don’t provide proof of citizenship within 90 days of receiving the correct letter, your registration status will change to “Federal Only.”  

This means you can vote in federal races only (for president, US Senate, and US House of Representatives). You will not be able to vote in state or local races.  

You will remain “Federal Only” until you provide proof of citizenship.

Since 2004, Arizona law has required voters to provide proof of citizenship in order to receive a full ballot. One of the primary methods for verifying citizenship is through records maintained by the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD).

In 2024, the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office identified an error in the MVD’s database. A group of voters was mistakenly listed as having provided proof of citizenship, when in fact the MVD had never requested or received that documentation. This issue—commonly referred to as the "MVD Glitch"—affected voters across the state, including approximately 83,000 long-time residents in Maricopa County.

State law requires our office to notify affected voters and give them the opportunity to submit valid proof of citizenship, ensuring they remain eligible to vote a full ballot in future elections.

The Recorder’s Office keeps the voter registration database. Voters can provide their proof of citizenship directly to us.

Alternatively, you can update your ID to a REAL ID at the MVD and provide your proof of citizenship and residency to the MVD. Once your REAL ID application is processed, you can update your voter registration through the MVD website, and your citizenship status will be updated with our office automatically.  

You can send in your proof of citizenship now. Affected voters are already sending in proof of citizenship. Our voter registration team will process the documentation as soon as it’s received and notify you once your citizenship status is updated.

No, the printing error will not affect voters’ registrations. If you were sent the wrong letter, you do not need to confirm you still live in Maricopa County.  You can completely disregard the wrong letter.

Voters will have 90 days from when they receive the correct letter to provide proof of citizenship.  

The third-party printer has taken full responsibility for the error. They are printing and sending the corrected letter with no extra cost to taxpayers.