Arizona's Proof Of Citizenship Requirement To Vote Struck Down By Supreme Court

Arizona's Proposition 200 (2004) requiring voters to proof citizenship when registering to vote over exceeded federal law, Supreme Court decided on a vote of 7-2.

By H. Nelson Goodson

June 17, 2013

Milwaukee, WI - On Monday,  the U.S. Supreme Court on a vote of 7-2 in the case of Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. decided to strike down a provision of Arizona's Proposition 200 enacted in 2004 requiring voting age people to proof citizenship when registering to vote. Arizona's proof of citizenship requirement to register to vote over exceeded federal election law requiring an oath statement of citizenship when registering to vote, according to the majority of the court. Committing perjury while registering to vote is criminally penalized under federal law. Three other states, Kansas, Alabama and Georgia, which have similar citizenship voting requirements had joined Arizona in its argument to allow the requirement stand.

The Supreme Court let stand another Proposition 200 provision allowing police to check the legal status of all those they suspected of being in the country illegally during traffic stops.

Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. dicision at link (PDF): http://1.usa.gov/10qkXHP