Arizona’s secretary of state said Wednesday that Hawaii’s official verification of President Obama’s birth records meets necessary requirements, meaning the president’s name will appear on Arizona’s ballot in the fall.

The inquiry launched recently by Secretary of State Ken Bennett gave official weight to a long-simmering political controversy generated by those who say that Obama was not born in the United States and therefore is ineligible to hold the nation’s highest office.

Bennett announced that he would seek further verification at the request of numerous voters who contacted his office. He said he was prepared to leave Obama’s name off the state’s ballot in November.

Bennett said Wednesday in a statement that Hawaii officials “have complied with the request, and I consider the matter closed.”