A groundbreaking legal settlement prompts Arizona counties to begin a comprehensive review of their voter registration lists, focusing on nearly 50,000 individuals who haven't provided proof of citizenship.
According to Fox News, all 15 Arizona counties have initiated a process to verify and potentially remove non-citizens from their voter rolls following a successful lawsuit by America First Legal (AFL).
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of EZAZ.org and naturalized citizen Yvonne Cahill, challenged the counties' implementation of state law requiring proof of citizenship for voting in local and state elections. The legal action highlighted the counties' alleged failure to conduct mandatory monthly checks of voter rolls for non-citizens, as required by Arizona law.
The settlement has established a new partnership between Arizona counties and the Department of Homeland Security. This collaboration aims to verify the citizenship status of registered voters who have not yet provided proper documentation.
Under Arizona law, residents must provide proof of citizenship to participate in state and local elections. However, a 2013 Supreme Court ruling prevents states from requiring more than a checkbox confirmation of citizenship for federal election registration.
The verification process specifically targets nearly 50,000 "federal-only voters" who haven't submitted citizenship proof and are currently restricted to voting in federal elections only.
The lawsuit's resolution represents a significant victory for election integrity advocates who have long pushed for stricter voter registration verification measures.
James Rogers, AFL senior counsel, emphasized the settlement's importance for Arizona's electoral system. The agreement ensures county recorders will utilize available resources to verify voter citizenship status effectively.
The verification process could potentially benefit legitimate citizens currently limited to federal-only voting status by allowing them full voting rights once their citizenship is confirmed.
County recorders across Arizona have begun submitting citizenship verification requests to the Department of Homeland Security as part of their enhanced list maintenance procedures.
The process aims to accomplish two main objectives: removing non-citizens from voter rolls and potentially expanding voting rights for verified citizens currently restricted to federal-only voting.
AFL senior counsel James Rogers stated:
This will help County Recorders find and remove any aliens on their voter rolls. It will also potentially enfranchise federal-only voters whose citizenship is confirmed, which would allow them to vote in state and local elections. AFL congratulates each of Arizona's 15 county recorders for taking this bold and important step for election integrity in the state.
Arizona's 15 counties have embarked on a comprehensive voter roll verification process targeting approximately 50,000 registered voters who lack citizenship documentation. The initiative stems from a successful lawsuit by America First Legal, filed on behalf of EZAZ.org and naturalized citizen Yvonne Cahill. Through collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, county recorders will work to identify and remove non-citizens from voter rolls while potentially expanding voting rights for verified citizens currently restricted to federal-only voting status.
