DNC, Arizona Democrats the latest to sue Arizona over new voter-ID law

Published: Tuesday, August 16, 2022 - 4:43pm

The Democratic National Committee and the Arizona Democratic Party want a federal judge to strike down another attempt by legislative Republicans to demand proof of citizenship from federal-only voters.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, notes that the U.S. Supreme Court has already rejected a previous attempt by Arizona Republicans to require federal-only voters — those who use a federal voter registration form to vote in federal elections — to undergo the same scrutiny as voters registering with the state of Arizona. 

Arizona requires proof of citizenship to vote in Arizona elections. 

But in 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that Arizona’s attempt to enforce that standard of federally-registered voters violated the National Voter Registration Act.

“Gov. (Doug) Ducey and Arizona Republicans’ blatantly unconstitutional move to restrict eligible Arizona voters’ freedom to vote is unacceptable,” Raquel Terán, chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, said in a statement. “Democrats stand united in fighting this power grab to restrict Arizonans' voting rights tooth and nail.”

It’s not the first lawsuit filed against House Bill 2492 — the U.S. Department of Justice brought a similar case against Arizona in federal court in July.

HB 2492 also includes restrictions that would prevent federally-registered voters — those registered without providing proof of citizenship – from voting in presidential elections and from voting by mail.

Politics Elections