Arizona Court Ruling: Citizenship Proof Now Required for Voter Registration
Submitted by MAGA
Posted 46 days ago
A court ruling in Arizona has made it harder for voters to register without proof of citizenship, a decision that has sparked controversy and debate over election integrity and voter suppression.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday that Arizona residents who try to register to vote using a state form without documented proof of citizenship will have their registration rejected. Previously, residents without citizenship documents would have their registration accepted, but they could only vote in federal elections.
The decision upends voter registration practices set by a 2018 consent decree requiring officials to accept the state forms even without proof of citizenship. The ruling is a temporary stay of a lower-court ruling that struck down newer Arizona laws on federal-only voters.
Republican legislative leaders and the state Republican Party had asked the appeals court to temporarily suspend parts of that ruling, but the court declined their request to suspend parts of the ruling that would have blocked federal-only voters from voting for president or by mail.
The ruling has been hailed as a victory for election integrity by Republican leaders, but voting rights groups have criticized it as discriminatory and violating federal voting laws. State Senate President Warren Peterson, a Republican, called the ruling "a victory for election integrity in Arizona."
However, Arizona election lawyer Jim Barton, who often represents progressive organizations, called the ruling "bad news" and said it would suppress voters. He hopes that the decision is reversed quickly.
Groups that register voters have suggested that it would make them more likely to encourage use of the federal voter registration form if a voter doesn't have immediate access to citizenship documentation, so the voter could cast ballots in the presidential and congressional elections.
The ruling will change how organizations conduct voter registration drives leading up to the election. Instead of telling someone without proof of citizenship to use the state form and provide proof to their county at another time, organizations will probably ask that they register using a federal form.
The ruling has emerged as a flashpoint as Republican leaders both nationally and locally characterize voting by noncitizens as a problem that merits a legislative solution. They're pushing for a federal law that would require voters to produce documented proof of citizenship in order to vote in federal elections.
Experts say, however, that voting by noncitizens is extremely rare, and is already illegal under federal law. Any noncitizen who attempts to vote would be risking a felony charge and jeopardizing their residency status.
The ruling is likely to have a significant impact on the upcoming elections in Arizona, where voter registration has been a contentious issue. The decision is expected to be appealed, and the case is currently scheduled to be heard by an appeals panel in September.
Sources:
rvmnews.com
nbcnews.com
votebeat.org
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday that Arizona residents who try to register to vote using a state form without documented proof of citizenship will have their registration rejected. Previously, residents without citizenship documents would have their registration accepted, but they could only vote in federal elections.
The decision upends voter registration practices set by a 2018 consent decree requiring officials to accept the state forms even without proof of citizenship. The ruling is a temporary stay of a lower-court ruling that struck down newer Arizona laws on federal-only voters.
Republican legislative leaders and the state Republican Party had asked the appeals court to temporarily suspend parts of that ruling, but the court declined their request to suspend parts of the ruling that would have blocked federal-only voters from voting for president or by mail.
The ruling has been hailed as a victory for election integrity by Republican leaders, but voting rights groups have criticized it as discriminatory and violating federal voting laws. State Senate President Warren Peterson, a Republican, called the ruling "a victory for election integrity in Arizona."
However, Arizona election lawyer Jim Barton, who often represents progressive organizations, called the ruling "bad news" and said it would suppress voters. He hopes that the decision is reversed quickly.
Groups that register voters have suggested that it would make them more likely to encourage use of the federal voter registration form if a voter doesn't have immediate access to citizenship documentation, so the voter could cast ballots in the presidential and congressional elections.
The ruling will change how organizations conduct voter registration drives leading up to the election. Instead of telling someone without proof of citizenship to use the state form and provide proof to their county at another time, organizations will probably ask that they register using a federal form.
The ruling has emerged as a flashpoint as Republican leaders both nationally and locally characterize voting by noncitizens as a problem that merits a legislative solution. They're pushing for a federal law that would require voters to produce documented proof of citizenship in order to vote in federal elections.
Experts say, however, that voting by noncitizens is extremely rare, and is already illegal under federal law. Any noncitizen who attempts to vote would be risking a felony charge and jeopardizing their residency status.
The ruling is likely to have a significant impact on the upcoming elections in Arizona, where voter registration has been a contentious issue. The decision is expected to be appealed, and the case is currently scheduled to be heard by an appeals panel in September.
Sources:
rvmnews.com
nbcnews.com
votebeat.org
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