National and Arizona Republicans are formally requesting the Supreme Court allow a state law go into effect that would reject state voter registrations in which the applicant does not provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in state elections. The motion also asks the high court to permit Arizona to require such proof for individuals submitting mail-in ballots and voting in presidential contests.
Filed on Thursday by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Arizona’s GOP legislative leadership, the emergency application asks SCOTUS to issue a stay on a Aug. 2 decision by a three-judge panel on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which prohibited enforcement of provisions in a 2022 state law requiring individuals provide documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) when registering via state voter registration forms.
That decision reversed a July 18 ruling by the court’s motions panel allowing the law to take effect, according to AZ Free News. The motions panel’s decision overturned a May district court ruling that deemed the law illegal.
Mi Familia Vota and Voto Latino are among several left-wing groups challenging the statute’s legality.
In requesting SCOTUS allow the DPOC requirement to be used in the Grand Canyon State’s November elections, the RNC and Arizona Republicans cited the Purcell principle, which, as described by Ballotpedia, is a legal doctrine “establishing that courts should not change election rules during the period just prior to an election because it could confuse voters and election officials.” The principle originates from the 2006 Supreme Court
