The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 22, 2023
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.
Arizona has a type of voter registration form which allows citizens to register only for Presidential elections, often used by Native Americans. Gov. Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2492 last year, adding more proof of citizenship requirements when using this federal form. Last week, a federal judge threw out many of those new requirements.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton ruled the law violated provisions in the National Voter Registration Act and part of the Civil Rights Act. Arizona’s Native Americans, some of whom don’t have street addresses, specific cities of birth, or birth certificates, could have been disenfranchised. Another provision of the law authorized the purging and possible prosecution of EXISTING registered voters who did not meet the new requirements.
In her ruling, Judge Bolton expanded proof of citizenship to include any tribal identification card or document, whether or not it included a fixed address or photo. She also protected voters who can’t give a place of birth from being disqualified, and limited voter purges of previously registered voters.
Sadly, Arizona is not the only state suppressing Native voting. Restrictions on registration, drop boxes, mail-in voting, and fair voting districts all continue to hamper Native voters in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nevada and some other states.
We have links to the ruling and an article on tactics states use to suppress Native voters at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
US Justice Department – (2022) Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the State of Arizona Over Restrictive Voter Registration Requirements
US District Court via Democracy Docket – Ruling in Mi Familia Vota, et al., v. Adrian Fontes, et al.,
Democracy Docket – Federal Judge Strikes Down Key Provisions of Arizona Voter Suppression Law
KTAR – Federal judge strikes down 2 Arizona voting proof-of-citizenship laws
Associated Press – EXPLAINER: Trial begins in tribes’ lawsuit over North Dakota redistricting map
Brennan Center for Justice – How Voter Suppression Laws Target Native Americans
Groups Taking Action:
Mi Familia Vota, Native American Rights Fund, ACLU Arizona, League of United Latin American Citizens
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