Facing DOJ lawsuit, Arizona could be model for states to require proof of citizenship to vote
- Arizona adopted a new law requiring proof of citizenship for most voter registrations this year.
- In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled against an Arizona law requiring proof of citizenship.
- Voting Rights Lab is tracking 25 bills in 10 states with provisions for proof of citizenship.
Lawmakers in as many as one in five states have considered legislation to require voters show proof of citizenship – a requirement that drew a federal lawsuit this week and that voting access advocates worry could disenfranchise millions of voters.
A new Arizona law that Gov. Doug Ducey hailed as a victory for “election integrity” – and that could be a model for similar restrictions across the country – now is being challenged as a “textbook violation” of federal law.