A recent undercover video has raised serious concerns about how Democratic-aligned voter registration workers handled individuals who openly claimed they were ineligible to vote.
The investigation by Muckraker involved undercover journalists posing as a Canadian citizen, a noncitizen, and a felon still on probation. According to Muckraker’s account, all exercises were stopped before any voter registration forms were submitted. This means the video does not document ineligible individuals being registered or voting. Instead, it appears to show canvassers proceeding with registration after being informed of facts that should have triggered an immediate halt.
Muckraker identified the people in its compilation as connected to Stand Indivisible Arizona, Worker Power, the Democratic National Committee’s When We Count program, and an Arizona AFL-CIO phone-bank operation. The video reveals a Stand Indivisible Arizona volunteer suggesting Canadian students could use online registration links. Another encounter shows a Worker Power canvasser marking citizenship as “yes” after being told they were not U.S. citizens. At a When We Count event, workers acknowledged a supposed felon on probation was ineligible but still recommended submitting the application for officials to evaluate. The AFL-CIO segment shows a phone-bank trainer stating citizenship screening was not their responsibility.
The Arizona AFL-CIO endorsed Governor Hobbs for reelection in September, placing her at the top of their statewide endorsement list. Hobbs’ campaign reported launching canvassing activities with Copper State Victory on October 2. While the video does not prove Hobbs personally directed or knew about specific statements made by staff members, it highlights significant issues in voter eligibility training as Election Day approaches.
Arizona law requires voters to be U.S. citizens and meet residency requirements before registration. The state does not impose a lifetime voting ban for felons; civil rights are restored after sentence completion and restitution. Canvassers do not make final legal determinations—county election officials review applications and verify eligibility.
The footage suggests serious failures of judgment by individuals shown in the video. The next steps should include identifying whether those depicted acted on behalf of organizations, explaining training received, preserving unedited recordings if available, and stating any corrective actions taken. Governor Hobbs has been asked to address whether she condemns canvassers encouraging ineligible individuals to submit registration forms.