The Supreme Court rejected a Republican attempt Thursday to potentially prevent over 41,000 Arizona voters from participating in the upcoming presidential election in a state where President Biden secured a victory by fewer than 11,000 votes four years ago.
However, in a 5-4 decision, the court permitted partial enforcement of regulations that bar individuals from voting if they fail to provide proof of citizenship during the registration process.
The ruling came in response to an emergency appeal by 24 states seeking full implementation of voting laws enacted in 2022 after Biden’s close win over Republican Donald Trump in Arizona.
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Previous report (Background):
The coalition of 24 states petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to ensure noncitizens are barred from voting in federal elections, as mandated by federal law. The states filed a brief in support of an Arizona law requiring proof of citizenship for voting, urging the high court to stay a federal district court’s injunction against the law.
The coalition also requested the Supreme Court to hear the case Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota, asserting that states have the authority to regulate their elections, including the right to demand proof of U.S. citizenship from voters.
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Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “In Border Czar Harris’s America, where more than 10 million illegal immigrants have been given a free pass into our country, proof-of-citizenship requirements are a simple, common-sense protection for the integrity of our elections. Florida requires an ID to cast a ballot, and this week, we joined 23 other states to ask SCOTUS to hear a vital case about citizenship for voter registration.
Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, Senate President Warren Petersen, and the Republican National Committee are asking the court to permit the enforcement of Arizona’s 2022 law while it undergoes litigation.
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The Arizona law mandates that all registered voters must provide documentation proving their U.S. citizenship. However, a federal district court ruled that the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) preempts the state law, preventing the implementation of such a requirement. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals also addressed the issue. The coalition contends that the NVRA does not supersede a state’s right to oversee its presidential elections or dictate how states conduct their elections.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton emphasized the importance of safeguarding elections from foreign interference. He argued that without proper safeguards, foreign nationals could illegally influence elections at various levels. “States have a constitutional right and responsibility to ensure that only legal votes from American citizens are counted,” Paxton said, urging the Supreme Court to act with urgency ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott echoed the coalition’s concerns, reaffirming Texas law that requires U.S. citizenship to vote in state elections. “Texas is actively using safeguards to protect citizens’ sacred right to vote and stop the crime of illegal voting,” Abbott stated.
The coalition’s brief raised concerns about the increasing number of illegal immigrants in the U.S., arguing that this rise poses a potential risk for voter fraud. The brief provided documented instances of noncitizens voting, stressing that even small groups of illegal voters could have a substantial effect on election results.
The coalition includes attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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