Can a Felon Vote in Arizona? Automatic Restoration and Judge Review

Yes, a person with a felony conviction can vote in Arizona, but only after their rights have been restored. A felony sentence suspends voting rights the moment the court enters the conviction, and the suspension lasts until every part of the sentence is complete and, in most cases, until the court takes an additional step.¹ Whether restoration happens on its own or requires a judge’s approval depends on how many felonies you have and where they were prosecuted.

What the Conviction Does to Your Registration

A felony conviction in Arizona automatically suspends your right to vote, serve on a jury, and hold public office. You cannot cast a ballot while in prison, on probation, or on any form of post-release supervision.¹ Your prior voter registration is cancelled at the same time, so even after restoration you have to register again from scratch. The state does not re-add you on its own.

One Arizona Felony: Automatic Restoration

If you have a single felony conviction and it came from an Arizona court, your voting rights come back automatically once you finish the sentence. That means completing probation or receiving an “absolute discharge” from the Department of Corrections, plus paying all victim restitution the court ordered.² No petition, no hearing, no judge’s signature required.

Automatic does not mean a notice shows up in your mail. The sentencing court is required to tell you at sentencing that your rights will restore when you finish, and the Department of Corrections must give you a copy of the sentencing order with your absolute discharge paperwork.³ If you want a court order you can hold up as proof, you can file an application to certify automatic restoration in the superior court that sentenced you. Maricopa County, for example, publishes a packet for exactly this.⁴

One Felony from Federal Court or Another State

If your single felony was federal or from another state, restoration is guaranteed but not truly automatic. You must file an application in the superior court of the Arizona county where you currently live.⁵ The court must grant it without a hearing and without a response from the state, so a judge has no discretion to say no, but the filing step is still on you.² The same preconditions apply: full sentence completed and all restitution paid. There is no filing fee.⁶

Two or More Felonies: A Judge Decides

With two or more felony convictions, restoration is neither automatic nor guaranteed. You apply to the superior court, and a judge has full discretion to grant or deny.⁶

Before applying, you must have a “final discharge,” meaning you completed probation or received an absolute discharge from the Arizona Department of Corrections, a prison in another state, or the federal Bureau of Prisons. All conditions of your most recent sentence must be satisfied.⁶

Where you file depends on where you were convicted:

If the convictions came from more than one Arizona county, you must file a separate application in the superior court of each county.
If the convictions are out-of-state or federal, you file in the superior court of the Arizona county where you currently live.

The clerk cannot charge a filing fee. You, your attorney, or your probation officer can file the application. The process can take several months. A clean record since the last conviction and evidence of community involvement help your case, though the statute does not spell out specific factors a judge must weigh.⁶

Confirm Before You Register

Registering or voting before your rights are back is itself a felony. Registering to vote while knowing your rights have not been restored is a Class 6 felony, with a presumptive sentence of one year.⁷⁸ Casting a ballot while ineligible is a Class 5 felony, carrying a presumptive sentence of a year and a half.⁹ Confirm you are eligible before you touch a form.

The simplest confirmation path is the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county that sentenced you. Ask for a copy of your absolute discharge and verification that restitution is paid in full. If you want an official court order, file the application to certify automatic restoration described above. Your County Recorder’s office, which handles voter rolls, can also tell you what state records show about your status.¹⁰

Registering Again and 2026 Deadlines

Because your old registration was cancelled, you need to submit a fresh one. You can register online at azmvdnow.gov if you have an Arizona driver’s license or state ID, by mail using a form from the Arizona Secretary of State or your County Recorder, or in person at the County Recorder’s office.

Arizona’s deadline is 29 days before Election Day. The 2026 primary is July 21 and the general election is November 3, which puts the registration cutoffs in late June and early October.¹¹ The exact mechanics by method:

Online registrations must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on the deadline date.
In-person or hand-delivered forms must be received before close of business on the deadline date.
Mailed forms must be postmarked by the deadline date and received by the County Recorder within five calendar days after.¹²

If you are finishing your sentence in the months before an election, start the confirmation process early. Paperwork delays can cost you an election cycle.

Firearm Rights Are a Separate Question

Getting your vote back does not restore your right to possess a firearm. Arizona handles the two restorations separately, and firearm rights follow a different timeline and process depending on the offense. If firearm rights matter to you, review A.R.S. § 13-907 and § 13-908 closely or talk to an attorney, because that path diverges from the voting side.²

1
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 13-904 – Suspension of Civil Rights and Occupational Disabilities
2
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 13-907 – Automatic Restoration of Civil Rights for First Offenders; Firearm Rights
3
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 13-906 – Restoration of Civil Rights; Process
4
Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County. Packet: Application to Restore Rights; CRRR1
5
Arizona Secretary of State. Restoration of Voting Rights in Arizona Summary of Recent Legislation
6
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 13-908 – Restoration of Civil Rights; Application; Firearm Rights; Definition
7
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 16-182 – False Registration
8
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 13-702 – First Time Felony Offenders; Sentencing; Definition
9
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 16-1016 – Illegal Voting; Pollution of Ballot Box
10
Arizona Secretary of State. Registration Requirements
11
Arizona Secretary of State. 2026 Election Info
12
Arizona Secretary of State. Voter Registration Procedures