Appeals court overturns states’ proof-of-citizenship requirements on federal voting forms
Sigh.
http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article3648946.html
Appeals court overturns states’ proof-of-citizenship requirements on federal voting forms
By Dion Lefler
The Wichita Eagle
11/07/2014 4:32 PM
A federal appeals court has ruled that Kansas cannot require proof-of-citizenship documents from prospective voters who register using a federal voter-registration form – and that a federal agency doesn’t have to alter the form to fit Kansas requirements.
The decision by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver is a significant setback for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s efforts to require all new and re-registering voters to provide a document proving citizenship – almost always a birth certificate or passport. The requirement is separate from a section of state law requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls.
Arizona has a similar proof-of-citizenship requirement, and Kobach argued the case on behalf of both states in conjunction with Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett.
Wichita Federal District Judge Eric Melgren had ruled that the Election Assistance Commission, a federal agency, was required to add state-specific citizenship-proof requirements to the instructions for using the federal form in Kansas and Arizona. The appeals court overturned Melgren’s ruling.
“I am very pleased, obviously,” said Dolores Furtado, president of the Kansas state chapter of the League of Women Voters. “It’s a good feeling because we’re truly trying to help” people get registered to vote.
The national and state leagues had intervened in the case on the federal commission’s side, along with a host of voting-rights groups including Common Cause, Project Vote, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona and others.
Kobach could not be reached for comment late Friday.
http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article3648946.html
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