What is felony disenfranchisement?
An estimated 4.6 million Americans are barred from voting due to a felony conviction. Arizona is one of 48 states that prohibits the right to vote after a felony conviction. Learn more at: https://elections.maricopa.gov/voter-registration/voting-rights-restoration.html
Do NOT register to vote until your Voting Rights are Restored!
One Arizona Felony Conviction: Automatic Rights Restoration
If you only have one felony conviction and have:
Completed your term of probation/community supervision
Paid all fines and victim restitution*
Your voting rights have automatically been restored, and you can register or re-register (if you were previously registered) to vote.
*Verify that your court balances have been paid in full by calling Maricopa county financial services at 602-506-0073 or https://www.paydici.com/maricopa-county-courts/search/criminal
Click Here to Check your Voter Registration Status.
Click Here to Register to Vote. Do not register to vote until your voting rights are restored
Multiple Arizona Felony Convictions: Apply for Rights Restoration
If you have more than one felony conviction, you must apply to have your rights restored in the county of conviction.
This process may take six - eight months from the time you file the petition until you receive a response from the court. It may take multiple petitions for rights to be restored; this decision is at the discretion of the assigned judge or commissioner. A petition is required for each felony conviction you have.
Example: You have felony convictions in cases from 2009, 2013, and 2016 in Maricopa County. You must complete three petitions and submit them to the Maricopa County Superior Court.
If you are not sure how many convictions you have or in what county they took place, you can look up your case history in Arizona at: htps://apps.supremecourt.az.gov/publicaccess/caselookup.aspx. Once you have located your case number, check to ensure you have paid any fines or restitution. Outstanding balances can impact the success of a petition. Call the Clerk of Court in the county of conviction to check on the remaining or current balance. Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court (602) 372-5375
Application to Restore Rights: Forms and Instructions https://superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/media/4212/crrr1z.pdf
Requesting a Certificate of Absolute Discharge - State
If you completed time in the Arizona Department of Corrections facilities, you will need a Certificate of Absolute Discharge from the Department of Corrections, which may be obtained in writing or in person. Use the link below to print and mail or send as a PDF in an email to request your certificate.
https://corrections.az.gov/sites/default/files/documents/absolutedischargerequestform_02-10-23.pdf
To request by mail send to:
Arizona Department of Corrections
Rehabilitation and Reentry
MC: 225
701 East Jefferson Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85034
It may take several weeks to receive your certificate by mail.
Felony Convictions in Other States
If your rights have been restored in another state you are not automatically eligible to register to vote in Arizona. You must file a petition in Arizona to confirm that your rights have been restored in Arizona.
Federal Convictions in Arizona
If you have a conviction in a federal court, you can use the following application to restore your civil rights. You must file in the county in which you currently reside. Complete the Federal Section of the application: https://superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/media/4212/crrr1z.pdf
Requesting a Certificate of Absolute Discharge - Federal
If you have a conviction in the federal courts, you must obtain a Certificate of Discharge from the Federal Bureau of Prisons may be obtained at the clerk's office of the United States District Court, 401 West Washington, Phoenix. You can contact the restoration clerk at 602-506-4949 to assist with a federal conviction. Obtaining a copy can be helpful to your petition submission.
Reminders
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There are no fees to submit your petition to the courts
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For federal convictions, apply in the county where you currently reside
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Do not register to vote until your rights are restored
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If you have questions before you start your application contact the Superior Court Clerk, Maricopa County 602-372-5375 press 7, then 3 (rights restoration option)
Support Resources
Need help? Reach out to the organizations below to get support with the process: