By Elizabeth Troutman |

The Maricopa County Republican Committee is calling on Arizona state congress members to run a bill that mandates calling voter registration cards by a more accurate name. 

“Will one or both of your members please run a bill that mandates all 15 Arizona County Recorders replace erroneous so-called “Voter *ID* Card” terminology, misrepresenting what are, in fact, Voter *Registration* Cards?,” a Sunday Tweet reads. 

The Tweet was in response to approximately 260,000 Maricopa County voters recently receiving new voter registration cards, which Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer called ID Cards.

“The new ID cards will look exactly like the regular cards but will include a note that indicates the boundary changes,” Richer said. 

Voter IDs are a “long & strongly established principle” in Arizona, according to the Maricopa County Republican Party. 

 “A Voter Registration Card never serves as an authorized form of Voter ID, in & of itself,” the party tweeted. “It may potentially serve as a partial supplement, in combination w/ other docs—but never equivalent—to Voter ID.”

According to Maricopa County Republicans, the Arizona Elections Procedures Manual refers to voter registration cards as such, rather than as a “Voter ID” or “Voter ID Card.” The terms should not be used interchangeably, according to the Republicans. 

Arizona voters are required to show a valid government-issued ID, as well as a voter registration card. 

“However long ago ‘Voter ID Card’ got started (‘It’s been around so long & it’s only a word!’) & however strong Maricopa County Government’s institutional leverage may be, We The People hold the ultimate leverage: upholding a most basic & essential principle of Election Integrity,” the Maricopa County Republicans said. 

Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.