The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday passed HB2492, a bill which would require people to show proof of citizenship upon registering to vote. The bill, sponsored by Arizona State Rep. Jake Hoffman, passed along party lines.
Currently, a person who is otherwise eligible to vote in Arizona but has not submitted proof of citizenship is allowed to vote in federal elections, becoming known as a “federal-only” voter, as previously reported in the Arizona Daily Independent.
Jen Marson, lobbyist for the Arizona Association of Counties, claimed in her testimony that HB2492 violated a Supreme Court ruling in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona. In that narrow ruling, the Court struck down an Arizona law that required proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Committee Chairman and attorney Sen. Warren Petersen, called on an expert, Greg Blackie, with the Free Enterprise Club, to explain how Hoffman’s bill avoids running into legality issues presented by the Court’s previous ruling.
Under HB2492, in order to register to vote, a person must provide:
a) Proof of location of residence;
b) The date and place of birth; and
c) A mark in the “yes” box next to the question regarding citizenship.