A key election official in Arizona’s Maricopa County plans to ask the state’s highest court as early as Tuesday to prohibit nearly 100,000 longtime residents from voting in state and local races this fall after discovering the state has no record of asking them for documents proving their U.S. citizenship.
Like other states, Arizona requires voters to swear that they are citizens when they register to vote.
But for 20 years, Arizona law has gone further and required residents to show birth certificates, naturalization papers or other documents proving citizenship to vote in state and local elections.
At issue is a pool of voters whom county and state officials have no record of having submitted those documents. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) said the vast majority probably are longtime citizens who are eligible to vote in all races. He said more are registered as Republicans than as Democrats.
Under Arizona law, those who don’t provide documents proving their citizenship are allowed to vote only in federal races, like those for president and Congress. While Arizona lawmakers originally wanted to require documentation to vote in any election, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that doing so for federal races violated the federal National Voter Registration Act. They receive ballots that show onlythose contests and none at the state level.
Under Arizona law, those who don’t provide documents proving their citizenship are allowed to vote only in federal races, like those for president and Congress. While Arizona lawmakers originally wanted to require documentation to vote in any election, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that doing so for federal races violated the federal National Voter Registration Act.
They receive ballots that show only those contests and none at the state level.
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