Arizona’s Attorney General
is asking a federal commission to let state election officials verify the
citizenship status of all prospective voters. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Arizona cannot ask
voters who register using a federal form to provide proof of citizenship. That
registration form only asks you to swear under penalty of perjury that you are
actually a citizen. Before the high court’s ruling, state election officials
would reject any of those forms that did not include additional documentation.
In
its decision, the court told Arizona
it could ask the federal Election Assistance Commission for a state-specific
rule requiring additional proof of citizenship. Wednesday, Attorney General Tom
Horne released a letter he sent to the commission requesting just that.
Horne
says he will sue if his request isn’t granted by August 19. But that deadline might
be difficult for the commission to meet, as it currently has no members.
