Sponsored Content
« Transcript Of My Debate With Paul Ryan On “Amnesty” | Main | Surprise! The Strongest Rebel Group In Syria Is The One Affiliated With Al Qaeda »
June 17, 2013

Arizona's Voter Registration Proof Of Citizenship Requirement Thrown Out By Supreme Court

This wasn't part of the illegal immigration enforcement bills from a few years back but rather a voter imitative law put in place in 2004.

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that states cannot require would-be voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before using a federal registration system designed to make signing up easier.

The justices voted 7-2 to throw out Arizona's voter-approved requirement that prospective voters document their U.S. citizenship in order to use a registration form produced under the federal "Motor Voter" voter registration law.

Federal law "precludes Arizona from requiring a federal form applicant to submit information beyond that required by the form itself," Justice Antonia Scalia wrote for the court's majority.

It's a fairly straight forward preemption issue. The federal government has mandated a use of a specific registration* form through the Motor Voter Act and the court is simply saying that states can't add qualifications to it.

What the Court didn't seem to say is that such a requirement would be unconstitutional. So, it's time to press House and Senate candidates to add this to the federal form. Ideally, they'd repeal Motor Voter all together but that's not going to happen so fixing this oversight is probably the best we can hope for. Of course, that's likely a bridge too far.


*Apparently some people are confusing proof of citizenship at the time of registration with being able to vote. Just to be clear, SCOTUS didn't find a right to vote for non-citizens or say states couldn't stop non-citizens from voting.

That's why I said this was more a simple preemption case than an earth shattering voting rights case. Still, I think it's something states should be allowed to do and with political will it's a simple fix.

(I added "Registration" to the title to help avoid confusion)


digg this
posted by DrewM. at 11:26 AM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
Hadrian the Seventh: " Up (at last), dressed, morning prayers said, Her ..."

Aetius451AD Work Laptop: "Liar!!!!!!!! Posted by: Vallerie at June 10, 2023 ..."

Lizzy[/i]: ">>Ivermectin for HIV would get the Pride Month nod ..."

Ciampino - the joke write themselves: "326 So if there were even a hint of data to sugges ..."

Count de Monet: "In truly disgusting news, the leader of PETA has s ..."

Just Sayin': "And only property owners can vote. ..."

rhennigantx: "The former president stored boxes of classified do ..."

screaming in digital: "Bluebell, I should tell the story about how Weasel ..."

RedMindBlueState[/i][/b][/s][/u]: "They don't like onions. Here in NE Texas in the sp ..."

Count de Monet: "Good sticky Saturday morning, you lot. ..."

SEO Podcast: "Fastidious answer back in return of this difficult ..."

irongrampa: " Got no idea what the "body count" is from th ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64