FACT CHECK

Fact Check: Goddard statement on dual-track voting unsupported

Mary Jo Pitzl
The Republic | azcentral.com
Terry Goddard

WHO SAID IT: Terry Goddard.

PARTY: Democratic.

THE RACE: Arizona secretary of state.

THE TARGET: Secretary of State Ken Bennett and Attorney General Tom Horne

THE COMMENT: "We could have saved almost $2 million spent implementing the dual track in the primary, I don't know what it will cost in the general. But $2 million to facilitate the votes of 21 people."

THE FORUM: Oct. 7 debate broadcast on Channel 8 (KAET).

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT: The cost of conducting a dual-track primary election.

ANALYSIS: For the first time, Arizona conducted a dual-track election in the Aug.26 primary. Voters who registered with the federal voter-registration form were limited to voting only for federal offices — in this election, it meant they could vote only for Congress. Those who registered using the state form were given a full ballot, containing races from governor to Legislature to local government.

This bifurcated system was Arizona's response to a U.S. Supreme Court that said Arizona cannot demand proof of citizenship from people who register using the federal form. However, it let stand a 2004 voter-approved mandate that requires would-be voters to show proof of citizenship if they register using the state form.

Relying on an opinion from Attorney General Tom Horne, Secretary of State Ken Bennett created the dual-track election.

County elections officials had to print one set of ballots for the several hundred voters who registered using the federal form, and another set for those who registered with the state form. In addition, there were training costs, mailing costs and set-up costs to implement the system.

Goddard has been critical of the decision, arguing the state could have saved money and continued with a "single track" system until the matter, which is still in the federal courts, is resolved. Goddard said he heard the $2 million figure, which he later said was "up to $2 million," from a credible source, but he could not recall who.

Bennett, who objected to Goddard's statement, polled the 15 counties on their printing costs, which he said totaled $252,864. The biggest expense was in Maricopa County, the state's largest, where the cost was $125,000.

Add in the $130,000 his office spent to add changes to the statewide voter-registration database to reflect those voters who can only get a federal ballot, and the tab rises to $382,864. Bennett did not include other costs that Goddard argues should be included, such as training, mailing and other preparation work, but Bennett said those costs are minimal and absorbed into the routine work elections offices do to prepare for the primary.

BOTTOM LINE: Although exact figures are not available, Goddard overstated the cost of the dual-track voting system, given the state's largest county ran up expenses of only $125,000.

THE FINDING: Unsupported.

SOURCES:Video of Oct. 7 secretary of state debate; Secretary of State e-mail criticizing Goddard statement; news article on creation of two-track system; News article on the number of voters affected by dual-track system; Republic interviews.