The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Arizona cannot add a proof-of-citizenship requirement to standard voter-registration forms intended for nationwide use.
USA Today reports that the Court ruled 7-2 that Arizona's proof of citizenship requirement, which was passed by voters in 2004, went beyond the 1993 federal "motor voter" law that was designed specifically to make voter registration procedures simpler.
Under the penalty of perjury, the federal law requires registrants to claim U.S. citizenship on a mail-in post card. However, the Arizona law requires separate physical proof of citizenship.
Voter-registration groups had said that the proof-of-citizenship requirements hindered registration drives and other efforts to increase the amount of registered voters.
The Supreme Court did say that Arizona may cross-check information registrants supply on the federal form to confirm its truthfulness.
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