In a groundbreaking decision, the Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that nearly 98,000 individuals whose citizenship documents hadn't been confirmed can still exercise their right to vote in state and local elections. This significant move comes after a database error was discovered, which had incorrectly designated the voters as only being eligible for federal elections.

The controversy began when Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer disagreed on the status of these voters. Richer sought the court's intervention, arguing that the voters' eligibility should be reevaluated. However, the court ultimately sided with Fontes, citing that county officials lacked the authority to change the voters' statuses, as they had registered long ago and attested under the penalty of law that they were citizens.

The court's decision is a major win for the affected voters, who had been uncertain about their ability to participate in state and local contests. Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer emphasized that the court was unwilling to disenfranchise voters en masse, stating that doing so would violate principles of due process.

Voting Rights Secured: Arizona Court's Bold Move

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