The Republican National Committee (RNC) and members of Arizona’s Legislature filed a motion on July 1 to stay a federal court order blocking certain voters who registered with a federal voter registration form from voting for president in the November elections. RNC Chairman Michael Whatley stated that the emergency motion was filed because the RNC is committed to preventing noncitizen voting, which compromises the integrity of elections.
The motion was in response to Arizona election laws passed in 2022, specifically HB 2492, which made it legal to require proof of citizenship to participate in elections in Arizona. Another law, HB 2243, mandated the reporting of the number of voters who did not list their citizenship status, which was also challenged in court.
Various voting rights groups filed lawsuits against these laws, with U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton ruling that parts of the legislation circumvented federal voting laws. Campaign Legal, one of the groups involved, described the provisions as discriminatory and claimed they denied the freedom to vote to certain Arizonans.
Judge Bolton found that requiring individuals to list their birthplace on the state registration form violated provisions of the Civil Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act, leading to an investigation of naturalized citizens based on subjective beliefs. She ruled that these portions of the laws should be struck down, prompting the emergency motion filed by the RNC.
The RNC filed the motion with the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overrule Judge Bolton’s decision and keep the state registration form provision intact. They argued that the blocked portions of the law should remain in place during the appeal process to avoid impacting the upcoming presidential election.
Arizona’s GOP chair, Gina Swoboda, emphasized the importance of ensuring that only Americans decide U.S. elections, highlighting the risk of non-citizen votes diluting legitimate voices. Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes opposed the RNC’s request, citing the proximity to the election and the need to maintain the blocked portions of the law.
Judge Bolton’s previous decision allowed certain parts of the laws, such as verification of voter registration status and cross-checking with government databases, to remain intact. She emphasized Arizona’s interest in preventing non-citizens from voting and promoting public confidence in elections.
Data from the Arizona Attorney General’s office showed no prosecutions of noncitizens illegally voting since 2010. The ongoing legal battle highlights the importance of ensuring the integrity of elections and upholding voting rights for eligible citizens. Can you please rewrite this?
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