Ninth Circuit Delivers Decision on Citizenship and Voter Registration in Arizona
Big Win or Consolation Prize?
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has provided some much-needed clarity on who can and can't register to vote in the upcoming 2024 elections, with the state of Arizona the focus of a new decision on Thursday afternoon. The suit was filed by the state Republican Party and the state Senate President Warren Petersen against a pro-illegals interest group, Mi Familia Vota, and Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D).
The Republican caucus of the state Senate reacted on X, calling it a massive win for election integrity:
🚨BREAKING: Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of election integrity! Voters in Arizona who register with the state and do not provide proof of citizenship will be rejected.
— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) July 18, 2024
"This is a victory for election integrity in Arizona. Only U.S. citizens should be… pic.twitter.com/IjNCv9lSmz
The post, signed by Petersen, reads:
Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of election integrity! Voters in Arizona who register with the state and do not provide proof of citizenship will be rejected.
Petersen said:
"This is a victory for election integrity in Arizona. Only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in our elections. It sounds like common sense, but the radical left elected officials in our state continue to reject this notion, disrespecting the voices of our lawful Arizona voters. We are grateful the court is upholding this provision in our law, and it's time for Congress to take action to ensure only lawful U.S. citizens are voting in federal races."
As this is a breaking story, RedState will provide updates as they become available.
The Ninth Circuit's decision is below:
Big Win or Consolation Prize?: Court Rules That Arizona Can Require Proof of Citizenship to Vote – UNLESS Voters Use Federal Registration Forms
Republicans are hesitantly optimistic about election reform in Arizona following a decision by the 9th Circuit Court that requires officials to verify voters’ proof of Citizenship when registering to vote with the state.
In the past, all Arizona residents were able to fill out a state registration form and those who did not provide citizenship documents were automatically enrolled to vote in federal elections only. Because of this ruling, residents are now required to provide documentation proving citizenship, if they fill out a state registration form.
Unfortunately, in the same ruling on Thursday, the court maintained that Arizona must continue to accept federal voter registration forms, which do not require residents to show any proof of citizenship.
While this ruling may have looked like a win on its face, it, unfortunately, does nothing to address the fact that potentially illegal voters can bypass the ruling by simply filling out a federal registration form instead of a state one.
Nevertheless, some Arizona Republican Officials bandied about the half-measure on X. State Representative Ben Toma was one of the officials who took a premature victory lap. Cue the fundraising.
Toma posted on X:
“Great news—the 9th Circuit stayed the district court’s injunction of Arizona’s common sense voting law, ARS 16-121.01(c). All county recorders must now require proof of citizenship when accepting state voter registration forms. I was proud to join Senator Petersen in defending this law and election integrity.” Rep. Ben Toma said on the social media platform, X.
According to Capitol Media Services, even Rep. Ben Toma eventually acknowledged the ruling was a limited victory, but told reporters “It’s still a win”.
The reality is that this ruling is ultimately the equivalent of putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. The new resolution does nothing to alleviate the root issue that is causing many concerns over the potential of illegal votes being cast in the 2024 presidential election.
However, Toma along with Senate President Warren Petersen, are pursuing an appeal against the decision that allows the loophole around Arizona voter laws, with a hearing set to take place in September.
If the ruling does not get overturned, this will mean that more than 35,000 Arizona residents who registered using the federal form will be granted a vote in the upcoming presidential election.
