Federal Court Strikes Down Some, Upholds Other, Parts of Arizona Laws Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Register to Vote in State Elections and for State to Investigate Possible Noncitizen Registration

March 1, 2024, 11:38 amvoting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

This is a complex ruling in a long-running case. (Via AZ Law).

From the conclusion of the 109-page opinion:

Non-US Plaintiffs may enforce § 10101 of the Civil Rights Act. Requiring individuals who register to vote using the State Form to include the individual’s state or country of birth violates the Materiality Provision of the Civil Rights Act. H.B. 2243’s Reason to Believe Provision also violates the Civil Rights Act, as well as section 8(b) of the NVRA because the provision will result in the investigation of only naturalized citizens based on county recorders’ subjective beliefs that a naturalized individual is a non-citizen.

In addition, requiring individuals registering to vote with the State Form to include documentary proof of residence to register for federal elections violates sections 6 and 7 of
the NVRA. However, Plaintiffs have not carried their burden to show that the VotingLaws’ remaining citizenship investigation procedures, DPOC requirements, and registration cancellation procedures violate the NVRA or the VRA. Nor do these provisions impose an undue burden on the right to vote or violate the equal protection and due process guarantees of the U.S. constitution. Finally, the Court concludes that Plaintiffs failed to show that the Voting Laws were enacted with any discriminatory purpose.

IT IS ORDERED declaring that A.R.S. § 16-121.01(A) violates § 10101(a)(2)(B) of the Civil Rights Act by denying Arizonans the right to vote based on errors or omissions that are not material to determining Arizonan’s eligibility to vote. Arizona may not reject State Form registrations that lack an individual’s state or country of birth and must register
an individual if that individual is found eligible to vote.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED declaring that A.R.S. § 16-165(I) violates § 10101(a)(2)(A) of the Civil Rights Act and section 8(b) of the NVRA by subjecting naturalized citizens whom county recorders have reason to believe are non-citizens to SAVE checks, which is a different standard, practice, or procedure than that applied to native-born citizens. Arizona may not conduct SAVE checks on any registered voter whom county recorders have reason to believe are a non-citizen. But Arizona may conduct SAVE checks on registered voters who have provided DPOC. See A.R.S. § 16-165(I).

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED declaring that A.R.S. § 16-121.01(A) violates sections 6 and 7 of the NVRA by requiring Arizonans who register with the State Form to provide documentary proof of residence. Arizona may not reject State Form registrations that are not accompanied by documentary proof of residence but must register an individual without proof of residence as a Federal-Only Voter if that individual is otherwise eligible to vote.