Activists say they’re suing over Arizona’s proof of citizenship bill signed into law

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Just one day after Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote for president, activists are suing to block it. Attorneys for Mi Familia Vota say the new law is unconstitutional and could potentially disenfranchise tens of thousands of voters.

For years Arizona required voters to provide documented proof of citizenship to vote in state elections, like the governor or attorney general races. That wasn’t the case for federal elections, like the presidential race, where voters only had to swear, under penalty of perjury, that they were citizens. But that changed with the governor signing House Bill 2492, which requires voters to prove citizenship to vote in all elections, including the race for the White House. The United States Supreme Court ruled nine years ago that requiring proof of citizenship in federal elections violated the National Voting Rights Act. As to how many people this could affect, that is unclear right now.

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