Sec. Kristi Noem calls Arizona’s elections ‘an absolute disaster’ but state officials disagree

PHOENIX – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Arizona’s election performance “an absolute disaster” during a press conference in Phoenix on Friday.

But Arizona was far from the main subject in what turned out to be a press conference promoting a Republican election integrity bill up for consideration in Congress.

“I hope that you do recognize that in the past your state has been an absolute disaster on elections. That your leaders have failed you dramatically by not having systems that work, by disenfranchising Americans who wanted to vote. They had to stand in lines for hours because machines failed or software failed,” Noem said during her second visit to Arizona this month.

The Homeland Security director appeared in Nogales on Feb. 4 to highlight accomplishments she and the Trump administration have made at the border over the past year.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a rebuttal of Noem’s accusations.

“Secretary Noem told the press that Arizona ‘is an absolute disaster’ when it comes to elections — yet she could not provide a single example to support that claim because it’s patently untrue,” Mayes said in a statement. “In fact, Arizona already requires documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. It was nothing more than another baseless attack from a federal government that lies to the American people on a daily basis. If the Trump administration wants to restore trust in our elections, it can start by telling the truth about them.”

As Mayes noted, Arizona already has provisions in place similar to what is included in legislation Noem came to Phoenix to promote: the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act.

The Grand Canyon State requires residents to provide proof of citizenship when they register to be eligible to vote in state and local elections. They also must provide a valid form of identification at polling centers when voting in person.

What else did Kristi Noem say about Arizona during Phoenix press conference?

Noem didn’t mention Arizona often during Friday’s speech and ensuing Q&A with reporters, but when she did she was critical of the state.

“There’s no state that could use more improvement than Arizona,” she said. “And you should be asking all of your leaders what they’re doing to fix the system. What are they doing to make sure that individuals in this state can trust that their vote is going to be taken, that it’s going to be counted, and that it’s going to matter?”

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes joined fellow Democrat Mayes in defending the state’s elections, and he accused Noem of spreading misinformation.

“Don’t come into Arizona there from Washington, D.C., and tell us how to run our elections. We’re doing just fine without you, thank you very much,” Fontes said in a video posted on X.

Arizona already requires DPOC and Voter ID, responsibly uses the SAVE system and we clean our voter rolls with ERIC.

Secretary Noem’s grandstanding about the integrity of Arizona’s elections is spreading misinformation. In fact, legislative Republican efforts to limit early… pic.twitter.com/h6JDZ2y8vB

— Arizona Secretary of State (@AZSecretary) February 13, 2026

The SAVE America Act would require Americans to prove they are citizens when they register to vote, mostly through a valid U.S. passport or birth certificate.

It would also require a valid photo identification before voters can cast ballots and require states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls.

“These measures are extremely popular with American citizens. American people have common sense and they want to see reforms like this put into their elections,” Noem said.

What is the status of the SAVE America Act?

The House passed the bill Wednesday on a mostly party-line vote, 218-213. However, it’s unclear whether there is enough support to push the bill past the Senate’s filibuster rules, which largely require a 60-vote majority.

Republicans said the legislation is needed to prevent voter fraud, but Democrats warn it will disenfranchise millions of Americans by making it harder to vote.

Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat, said he is a solid no vote.

“If the SAVE Act is designed to protect our elections, we must make sure it does not limit the ability for citizens to exercise their right to vote. Americans should not have to pay extra money or drive four to five hours away to make their voices heard. Many Arizonans do not want the hassle of sending in a photocopy of their ID with each mail-in ballot” Gallego said in a statement.

“The right to vote is sacred in this country and I will not vote for anything that threatens it.”

Federal law already requires that voters in national elections be U.S. citizens, but there’s no requirement to provide documentary proof. Experts said voter fraud is extremely rare, and very few noncitizens ever slip through the cracks.

The GOP’s sudden push to change voting rules at the start of the midterm election season is raising red flags, particularly because President Donald Trump has suggested he wants to nationalize U.S. elections, which, under the Constitution, are designed to be run by individual states.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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