The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down provisions in two Arizona voting laws that sought to increase proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration, calling them “voter suppression.” The laws, signed by then-Gov. Doug Ducey, were blocked due to concerns of discrimination and violation of voting rights. The court ruled that the laws violated federal laws and the U.S. Constitution, specifically the National Voter Registration Act and the Equal Protection Clause. Conservative groups and Republican state legislators promoted the laws based on false claims of widespread noncitizen voting. Several groups, including Latino, Native American, and Asian organizations, as well as civil rights groups, challenged the laws in court and won. Despite this ruling, some Republicans are planning to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Arizona laws required heightened proof of citizenship for voter registration, impacting both state and federal forms. People using the federal form without adequate citizenship proof could only vote for some positions. On the other hand, those using the state form without proof would be rejected. The court found these requirements to be discriminatory and unconstitutional. The ruling was split 2-1, with Judge Patrick Bumatay dissenting. Arizona currently has a dual system for voter registration, allowing people to use either state or federal forms, with different requirements.
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