Arizona has begun the process of verifying and removing up to 50,000 noncitizens from its voter rolls after a lawsuit led by America First Legal (AFL). All 15 counties in Arizona are now working to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote in state and local elections.
James Rogers, Senior Counsel at AFL, expressed his satisfaction with the settlement, calling it a “great result for all Arizonans.” The legal action, filed last year by AFL on behalf of EZAZ.org and Yvonne Cahill, a naturalized citizen, accused the counties of not following state laws that require proof of citizenship for voters.
The lawsuit argued that the counties had failed to adhere to a state law mandating proof of citizenship for state and local elections. The law also requires counties to conduct monthly checks to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls.
As part of the settlement, election officials are working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify the citizenship status of nearly 50,000 individuals who failed to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
Despite a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that limits states to only requiring voters to check a box confirming their U.S. citizenship on federal forms, Arizona law still mandates proof of citizenship for state and local elections.
Arizona’s law also stipulates that county recorders must maintain a monthly list of individuals who are registered to vote in federal elections but haven’t provided proof of citizenship. These “federal-only voters” are restricted from voting in state and local races.
As part of the agreement, county recorders will now collaborate with DHS to confirm the citizenship status of these individuals. Those confirmed as U.S. citizens will be moved to the regular voter rolls, while noncitizens will have their registrations canceled.
Rogers praised the efforts of the county recorders, noting that this initiative not only removes noncitizens but could also enable those on the federal-only voter list to participate in state and local elections if their citizenship is confirmed.
“This will help county recorders find and remove any noncitizens from their voter rolls,” Rogers said. “It also offers the possibility of enfranchising federal-only voters who are confirmed to be citizens, allowing them to vote in state and local elections.”
The legal action and its outcome mark an important step toward ensuring election integrity in Arizona.
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