The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Aug. 27, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
In a 5-4 vote August 22nd, the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated part of an Arizona voter suppression bill requiring citizens to provide proof of citizenship in addition to other identity documents.
The law targets Native American voters, who sometimes don’t have birth certificates, and college students, who may not have the documents available. Both groups skew liberal.
Arizona has two ballots for elections; a state ballot which includes local, state and federal candidates, and a federal-only ballot. The federal-only ballot uses an affidavit to swear to citizenship on penalty of perjury, but does not require the documents. Democracy news outlet Votebeat found college students often use the federal-only ballot.
A 2022 Arizona law, House Bill 2492, requires that citizens registering to vote provide a birth certificate, passport or naturalization papers to register for either the state and federal, or federal-only, ballots. Democracy groups argued it violated both the National Voter Registration Act and 1964 Civil Rights Act. A recent study found 9% of Americans don’t have ready access to a birth certificate.
In its short, unsigned decision, the high court allowed Arizona to enforce the law for the state and federal ballot, but not on the separate federal-only ballot, preserving the ability to vote for President, Vice President, House, and Senate races, but shutting those voters out of local and state elections.
We’ve linked to more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Arizona Legislature – House Bill 2492
U.S. Justice Department – (March 2024) U.S. District Court Finds That Arizona Voter Registration Provisions Violate Federal Law
ACLU – Voting Rights Groups File Amicus Brief to Protect Arizona’s Eligible Voters from Documentary Proof of Citizenship Law
SCOTUS Blog – Justices allow Arizona to enforce proof-of-citizenship law for 2024 voter registration
NPR – Supreme Court grants GOP bid to require citizenship proof for some Arizona voters
Votebeat – Arizona’s federal-only voters are concentrated on college campuses, data show
Groups Taking Action:
Mi Familia Vota, League of Women Voters
Check Your Voter Registration:
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
- USA Vote Foundation – Registration, Eligibility, State Election Office Links
- Vote.Gov – Register to Vote in Your State
- Vote.Org – Check Your Registration to Vote
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#Democracy #DemocracyNews #Arizona #VoterSuppression #SCOTUS #USSupremeCourt