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Federal prosecutors are investigating allegations that Stand Indivisible Arizona, Worker Power and When We Count improperly assisted ineligible individuals with voter registration, prompting requests for state and county election officials to review submissions before the Nov. 3 elections.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
PHOENIX — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has opened an investigation into allegations that three nonprofit political organizations registered noncitizens to vote and referred the matter to the FBI, federal prosecutors announced Friday, Oct. 30, just four days before the midterm elections.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine identified Stand Indivisible Arizona, Worker Power and When We Count as the organizations under scrutiny, citing written reports and video recordings suggesting that individuals associated with the groups may have disregarded Arizona laws prohibiting the registration of ineligible voters.
According to the Justice Department’s official announcement, Courchaine’s office has opened a case and requested a federal investigation into the reported activities.
The announcement follows letters Courchaine sent Oct. 26 to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap, urging both election officials to examine voter registrations submitted by the three organizations.
In his letter to Heap, Courchaine warned that the organizations may have violated Arizona Revised Statute Section 16-182, which prohibits knowingly causing or procuring the registration of a person who is not legally entitled to vote.
“Based on written and video reports, personnel acting on behalf of the following organizations either intentionally disregarded or were recklessly ignorant of Arizona’s law prohibiting the registration of non-citizens in elections,” Courchaine wrote.
The letter specifically identified Stand Indivisible Arizona, Worker Power and When We Count.
“Based on a cursory review, it appears these organizations and their volunteers or employees may have violated A.R.S. § 16-182 by knowingly causing or procuring another person to be registered while knowing that person is not entitled to register to vote,” the prosecutor continued.
Courchaine requested that Heap review registrations associated with the organizations to determine whether any ineligible individuals had been placed on Maricopa County’s voter rolls.
“Because you serve as the responsible county official, my office is requesting a review of registrations submitted by these groups to ensure only United States Citizens were registered to vote,” he wrote.
The U.S. attorney made a nearly identical request in his separate letter to Fontes, emphasizing the secretary of state’s responsibility for overseeing elections and voter registration procedures.
“Thank you for your ongoing work and cooperation. I trust that you are dedicated to securing Arizona’s elections as is the Department of Justice,” Courchaine told Fontes.
The letters followed an undercover video published Oct. 22 by Muckraker, a conservative investigative media organization, which alleged that individuals associated with Democratic-aligned political groups were willing to assist people who identified themselves as noncitizens or otherwise ineligible voters.
According to Axios Phoenix’s reporting on the investigation, the recordings showed an undercover journalist posing as an ineligible voter and asking political canvassers whether he could register.
The video raised questions about whether canvassers were adequately verifying eligibility before offering assistance with voter registration.
The recorded encounters did not establish that an ineligible person was successfully registered. Muckraker said its journalists stopped the interactions before submitting any voter registration forms.
That distinction remains significant because federal investigators have not publicly confirmed that the organizations registered noncitizens or that anyone subsequently cast an unlawful ballot.
The Justice Department has not disclosed how many voter registration applications may be involved or whether investigators have identified specific individuals who were improperly added to Arizona’s voter rolls.
Stand Indivisible Arizona describes itself as a volunteer-driven, nonpartisan organization involved in community activism and political participation.
Worker Power is a nonprofit political advocacy organization focused on voter engagement, working families and organizing efforts.
When We Count is a Democratic National Committee voter registration initiative associated with efforts to increase electoral participation.
According to Arizona’s Family coverage, the three organizations have conducted political outreach activities aimed at registering voters and encouraging participation in elections.
The Democratic National Committee disputed the allegations involving its voter registration program.
DNC spokesperson Angelo Fernández Hernández told Axios that the organization was unaware of any instance in which its personnel had registered a noncitizen.
“We are not aware of any instances of our fellows … registering a noncitizen to vote,” Hernández said.
He characterized the accusations as “fabricated” and “inspired by right-wing operatives.”
Stand Indivisible Arizona and Worker Power did not immediately respond to requests for comment reported by Axios.
The allegations concern a fundamental requirement of federal election law: only U.S. citizens may vote in federal elections.
Arizona also prohibits individuals from knowingly registering ineligible people and requires applicants to satisfy the state’s voting eligibility requirements.
In Friday’s announcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that lawful immigration status does not authorize participation in federal elections.
“On the eve of an important midterm election, the District of Arizona reminds the public that voting is limited solely to U.S. citizens,” the department stated.
The office explained that noncitizens cannot vote even when they are legally present in the United States.
“If you are a non-citizen, you may not vote in Tuesday’s election, even if you have legal authority to be in the country on a visa or as a legal permanent resident,” the statement continued.
Federal prosecutors also warned that intentionally assisting another individual in obtaining voter registration while knowing that person is ineligible can constitute a federal offense.
“Further, knowingly causing another person to be registered to vote while knowing that person is not entitled to do so would violate federal law,” the department stated.
Arizona’s registration system includes citizenship verification requirements, with different procedures governing federal-only and full-ballot voting eligibility.
A person must be a U.S. citizen to participate in federal elections, although documentation and verification procedures can vary depending on the type of registration.
Election officials are responsible for reviewing applications and determining eligibility before issuing ballots.
The Justice Department’s investigation comes after Arizona’s regular voter registration deadline for the Nov. 3 election had already passed.
Former Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell, a Republican, questioned the timing of the federal announcement and warned that raising allegations shortly before Election Day could create unnecessary confusion.
“It just seems like we keep seeing these little steps to confuse people,” Purcell told Axios.
She also emphasized that election officials review registrations for eligibility and that the existence of an application does not guarantee that a person will receive a ballot.
The investigation arrives amid broader federal efforts to examine voter registration procedures and citizenship verification in multiple states.
The Trump administration has pursued legal action seeking access to voter registration records and additional safeguards concerning individuals suspected of being ineligible to vote.
Those efforts have prompted disputes with state officials over federal authority, access to private voter information and the procedures used to remove individuals from registration lists.
In Arizona, the immediate focus remains on whether the three named organizations submitted improper registrations and whether their personnel knowingly violated state or federal law.
Courchaine’s letters request a review of the organizations’ registrations but do not announce that any specific application has been proven fraudulent.
The FBI referral authorizes federal investigators to examine the allegations, gather evidence and determine whether further enforcement action is warranted.
No criminal charges against the organizations or their employees were announced in the Justice Department’s Oct. 30 statement.
As Arizona prepares for Tuesday’s midterm elections, the inquiry remains active, with federal prosecutors seeking cooperation from state and county election officials to establish whether any unlawful registrations occurred.
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