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FACT BRIEF

Can counties have more registered voters than eligible voters?

By Carmela Guaglianone
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YES

In Arizona and other states across the nation, it is possible for counties to have more registered voters than eligible voters. This can be the result of voters who move and do not update their registration or voters who die and have not yet been removed from voter rolls.

Between the 2020 and 2024 general elections, Arizona election officials removed or deactivated around 1.7 million people from the state’s voter rolls through routine list maintenance. The procedures keep voter lists accurate, particularly as voters move, become ineligible to vote or die.

Once a voter has been designated as inactive, which happens when county recorders are unable to verify their address, they remain on the voter list for two federal election cycles, or four years, before they can be removed. Around 700,000 Arizona voters were listed as ineligible ahead of the 2024 General Election.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Arizona Secretary of State Canceling Voter Registration
Arizona Legislature Causes for cancellation; report
Arizona Legislature Verification of registration
National Conference of State Legislatures Voter Registration List Maintenance
US Election Assistance Commission Voter Registration Cancellations
Protect Democracy AZ Voter Roll Report 2024
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.