>A divided Supreme Court on Thursday afternoon granted a request from the Republican National Committee and the Republican leaders of Arizona’s legislature to reinstate a state law that requires residents to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote using a form provided by the state.
>The court turned down a request, however, to reinstate the portion of the same law that would bar voters who register using a standard federal form from voting for president or by mail unless they provide proof of citizenship.
>The vote was 5-4. In a brief unsigned order, three of the court’s conservative justices – Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch – indicated that they would have granted the RNC’s application to fully reinstate the law.
>Arizona, represented by Attorney General Kris Mayes, opposed the RNC’s request. Mayes acknowledged the state’s interest in defending and enforcing the law, but she countered that the “State also has an interest in smoothly administering its laws, especially for elections.”
>Indeed, she wrote, “putting the district court’s injunction on hold now” would be “destabilizing,” because the state has not been enforcing the provisions at the center of the dispute.
>The Democratic National Committee and the Arizona Democratic Party echoed this sentiment in their brief, observing that the relief sought by RNC and Republican legislators would also “mean people who voted for a presidential candidate or by mail earlier this year — including in the July 30 primary just two weeks ago — would suddenly be unable to do so.”
di11deux on
I have no fundamental issue with voter ID laws provided we make it exceedingly easy for citizens to prove citizenship without unnecessary paperwork hurdles. Too many citizens have neither a driver’s license or a passport, and the onus of responsibility is on them to find some alternative form of photo ID. The government should be providing these as an expectation for every 18 year old at every high school. Expecting them to retain a SS card that you cannot laminate or a birth certificate is preposterous in the 21st century.
2 Comments
>A divided Supreme Court on Thursday afternoon granted a request from the Republican National Committee and the Republican leaders of Arizona’s legislature to reinstate a state law that requires residents to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote using a form provided by the state.
>The court turned down a request, however, to reinstate the portion of the same law that would bar voters who register using a standard federal form from voting for president or by mail unless they provide proof of citizenship.
>The vote was 5-4. In a brief unsigned order, three of the court’s conservative justices – Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch – indicated that they would have granted the RNC’s application to fully reinstate the law.
>Arizona, represented by Attorney General Kris Mayes, opposed the RNC’s request. Mayes acknowledged the state’s interest in defending and enforcing the law, but she countered that the “State also has an interest in smoothly administering its laws, especially for elections.”
>Indeed, she wrote, “putting the district court’s injunction on hold now” would be “destabilizing,” because the state has not been enforcing the provisions at the center of the dispute.
>The Democratic National Committee and the Arizona Democratic Party echoed this sentiment in their brief, observing that the relief sought by RNC and Republican legislators would also “mean people who voted for a presidential candidate or by mail earlier this year — including in the July 30 primary just two weeks ago — would suddenly be unable to do so.”
I have no fundamental issue with voter ID laws provided we make it exceedingly easy for citizens to prove citizenship without unnecessary paperwork hurdles. Too many citizens have neither a driver’s license or a passport, and the onus of responsibility is on them to find some alternative form of photo ID. The government should be providing these as an expectation for every 18 year old at every high school. Expecting them to retain a SS card that you cannot laminate or a birth certificate is preposterous in the 21st century.