VRM in the States: Arizona

Advances in Voter Registration Modernization

• Electronic Voter Registration: Arizona launched electronic voter registration at Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) offices in 2005. Individuals submit information on paper and clerks input responses electronically. Registration information, along with an electronic signature on file, is transferred to election officials every night.
• Online Voter Registration: Arizona launched online voter registration through the MVD in 2002. Eligible citizens with a state driver’s license or non-driver ID can use the system to register to vote and update their registration information.

Gains from Voter Registration Modernization in Arizona

The steps Arizona has taken thus far have yielded increases in voter registration and financial benefits for the state. For example:

• During a March 2010 interview with Brennan Center staff, Maricopa County election officials reported savings of over $450,000 in 2008 thanks to online and electronic registration. Processing a paper voter registration form costs 83 cents, compared to an average of 3 cents for processing applications submitted electronically through the MVD or online. The reduced volume of paper has also enabled Maricopa County to hire fewer temporary employees prior to elections and eliminate one full-time scanning position.
• Arizona implemented online registration at a cost of less than $100,000.
• Registration rates at MVD offices increased several times over after the state launched electronic registration.
• Between the 2016 launch of online voter registration and the November 2016 election, the state received 225,734 new voter registration applications through its online portal.