WASHINGTON, July 5 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday sued the state of Arizona for blocking a state law that requires voters to provide proof of citizenship for some federal elections.
Because it will go into effect in January, the law violates the National Voter Registration Act by requiring proof of citizenship to vote in the presidential election or vote by mail in any federal election, the department said.
“This demand reflects our deep commitment to using all available tools to protect the right to vote of all Americans and ensure that their voices are heard in our democracy,” said Kristen Clarke, Deputy Attorney General for civil rights, at a press conference.
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The law also violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by requiring election officials to reject voter registration forms based on minor errors, officials said. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Arizona District.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said he would fight the lawsuit.
“Once again I will be in court defending Arizona against the illegality of the Biden administration,” he said in a statement.
Arizona has been a hotbed in the U.S. battle for voting rights.
A widely criticized Republican review of the 2020 presidential election did not find that the irregularities tarnished Democrat Joe Biden’s narrow victory over Republican Donald Trump. The Republican legislature has also reduced the authority of the state’s top election official, a Democrat. Read more
Arizona enacted a law in 2005 that required new voters to provide proof of citizenship, but in 2013 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the state could not impose this requirement on those who used a federal form to register. -se. Since then, the state has allowed these voters to participate only in federal elections, not in state or local races.
Critics say the new law would deprive long-time voters who registered before the citizenship requirement came into force of the right to vote.
Last year, the Justice Department filed lawsuits against Texas and Georgia for state voting restrictions that, according to the department, violated federal law.
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Report by Katharine Jackson and Eric Beech; edited by Leslie Adler and Bill Berkrot
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