PHOENIX (AZFamille) — Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes confirmed his office followed a court order to release the names of about 218,000 voters affected by an MVD registration error that allowed them to remain on voter lists even if they did not have citizenship documents on file.

“We have complied and are complying with a court directive to release the specific voter records of 218,000 individuals as part of our ongoing legal proceedings. This list was given to the plaintiffs in the case that was before the courts and they are authorized to release it to the counties and state legislative representatives,” Fontes said during a press conference Monday afternoon.

The news came less than an hour after Maricopa County election officials concluded a briefing. detailing their final preparations.

Fontes expressed frustration with the outcome. He and his team have worked tirelessly to prevent information from being passed on to people he does not trust.

“And I have good reason not to trust them with this specific information,” the secretary of state said. “I want to apologize again to some of these voters who feel a little uncomfortable that some of these people know your name and your personal identifying information. I tried to stop it.

Voters will soon be able to see if their name is on the list, officials confirmed.

Arizona’s family reported last week that Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney ordered the release of voters’ names after a request from the conservative-leaning group Strong Arizona Communities Foundation.

“Despite the political overtones, this is simply a matter of public record,” Blaney said in the ruling. The request was filed the same day reports began circulating about a registration error, which were quickly confirmed by county and state officials and made headlines across the country.

Fontes had until Monday noon to submit the names of voters to the group running EZAZ.org.

The website cannot release the information until after Tuesday’s general election and is only allowed to release it to certain local political leaders and Arizona county recorders at this time.

In September, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that all such voters could vote fully in state and local races in Tuesday’s elections.

“You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. legally, in Arizona, for 2024, you have the right to vote on a full ballot and no one has the right to harass you in your home, ask you for ID or otherwise,” Fontes emphasized. “If anyone does this type of thing, please contact our office or your local law enforcement agency. Harassment and intimidation is a violation of the law. and if we have sufficient evidence, we will provide it to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

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