Arizona Trifecta:  Three Lawsuits for on its Voter Suppression Bills All in One Day

Today's Links
Articles:
Al Dia - Voto Latino partners with allies to sue Arizona over a voter restriction law
Washington Examiner - Liberal advocates sue over Arizona law alleged to allow 'targeted voter suppression'
Democracy Docket - Voting Rights Groups Sue Arizona Over New Voter Suppression Law
Democracy Docket -  DNC and Arizona Democratic Party Sue Over Arizona’s Citizenship Requirement
Groups
Voto Latino, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Over the 18 months, Arizona GOP legislators passed two restrictive voting bills, one targeted at Native Americans,  requiring proof of citizenship to vote by already registered voters.  The other is a vague bill tightening vote-by-mail rules. Last week, Arizona hit the trifecta:  The state was sued by the U.S. Justice Department, voting rights groups and the Democratic party all in one day.

The first is SB 1260 allows a clerk to take someone OFF the vote-by-mail list if he or she THINKS the voter has moved to another county, but creates no mandate to follow up.  It also prohibits the forwarding of a mail ballot.  Sending a ballot received at home to an Arizona-registered son or daughter at college, could be a felony.  Advocacy group Voto Latino also cites voters with unstable housing, and retirees who may spend parts of the year in other states.  Voto Latino and other groups are attempting to get the law struck down because of its vague provisions and burdensome barriers to voting.

Most states now have voter ID laws, but Arizona’s H.B. 2492 targets a federal-election-only ballot, which is an option in Arizona.   Many Native Americans who’ve voted for years using the ballot would not be able to because they don’t have the citizenship documents.   Two suits, one by the U.S. Justice Department and another by Democratic groups argue that HB 2492 puts an undue burden on the right to vote, violating the 1st and 14th Amendments.  There are now five lawsuits filed to invalidate this law.

See links to articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org     For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.