Controversial Ruling: Arizona Voters Must Show Proof of US Citizenship
- A judge ruled Arizona's laws requiring citizens to show proof of citizenship to register to vote are not discriminatory.
- Part of the law was not upheld because it violates the Civil Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act
Election Turmoil in Arizona
During the last election cycle, Arizona made headlines when Cochise County Supervisors Peggy Judd and Tom Crosby refused to certify the 2022 election results without a hand count of the votes. The pair called the ballot tabulation machines into question and refused to move forward. Ultimately, they lost the challenge when a judge ruled against them.
Ensuring Fair Elections in Arizona
Elections across the country have been fraught with increasing levels of turmoil over the last few years, as far back as the Great Hanging Chad Debacle of 2000, when then-presidential candidate Al Gore ultimately lost to George W. Bush in Florida. The count and recount went on for weeks. The event changed the way we looked at elections across the board.
Ensuring fair elections is important, and while America isn't perfect, we do better than many parts of the world. I can't imagine traveling to Argentina, Russia, or any other country in the world, and trying to cast a ballot without being asked to show ID proving I was eligible to vote in their country.
Which is why it's hard to believe this is up for debate. Insisting a voter shows proof of citizenship in our country before being allowed to cast a ballot seems like a no-brainer, but not everyone agrees. Some have railed against the provision, with the claim that making such a requirement is discriminatory.
READ: Do Arizona's Voters Lean Left or Right?
Arizona's Sad History of Excluding Voters
On the other hand, I get it. Arizona doesn't have the most stellar record when it comes to fairness in voting. In the 1970s and 80s, Arizona had a blatantly discriminatory law in place.
Arizona law once required potential voters to take a literacy test before being allowed to register. That meant anyone who wasn't a native English speaker, even if they were a citizen, could be deemed unfit to vote and their name was purged from the voter registration rolls.
READ: You May Not Be Able to Vote in THIS Arizona Election
This law often unfairly excluded many Native American and Latino voters. Thankfully the law was reversed. These terrible laws have left a bad impression, which is part of the reason this new law came under fire.
A Judge Upheld Arizona's Law That Requires Voter Citizenship Verification
These unjust laws have created a lasting legacy in Arizona. However, preserving the sanctity of elections by the citizens of our state and our country is imperative to maintain the integrity of elections.
According to Arizona law, in order to register to vote, citizens are required to prove they're United States citizens.
U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton agrees. She just upheld important parts of Arizona’s voting laws. Here are the key points:
- Arizona's law aims to prevent voter fraud and ensure that only eligible citizens participate in elections.
- Counties have to verify the status of registered voters who haven’t provided proof of U.S. citizenship.
- Voter registration information will be cross-checked with various government databases.
Judge's Ruling: Arizona's Controversial Voter ID Law is Not Discriminatory
Judge Bolton's decision concludes that proving United States citizenship to vote in Arizona is not discriminatory. With public confidence in elections shaken in the past few years, this ruling outweighs the small burden on voters who have to prove their citizenship.
Voters won't be required to include their state or country of birth since it violates the Civil Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act.
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