In a recent ruling, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton has upheld new Arizona laws that mandate registered voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship in order for their votes to be counted. The laws, which were passed in 2022 on party-line votes, have faced accusations of discrimination by Arizona legislators, but Judge Bolton ruled that the requirements were not discriminatory.

Judge Bolton emphasized that the state has a vested interest in preventing voter fraud and ensuring that only eligible individuals are allowed to vote. She stated, "Considering the evidence as a whole, the court concludes that Arizona's interests in preventing non-citizens from voting and promoting public confidence in Arizona's elections outweighs the limited burden voters might encounter when required to provide documentary proof of citizenship."

The ruling clarifies that one specific requirement in the laws, which asks individuals to include their state or country of birth on a state registration form, would violate the Civil Rights Act and a section of the National Voter Registration Act. Judge Bolton cautioned that this particular requirement could falsely label naturalized individuals as non-citizens and therefore cannot be included.

Under the laws, state election officials are required to cross-check registration information with various government databases to verify citizenship. If they cannot find a match, they are to report the individual to prosecutors. The ruling acknowledged that non-citizens voting in Arizona is rare, but stated that the laws could help prevent non-citizens from registering or voting.

It is worth noting that the ruling followed a bench trial in late 2023, during which experts testified about Arizona's history of voting discrimination. However, Judge Bolton emphasized that past attempts to exclude voters were irrelevant to the current laws aimed at preventing voter fraud. She also pointed out that there was no evidence presented by the plaintiffs to suggest an intent by lawmakers to suppress voter registrations.

These laws were introduced in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, which saw claims of voter fraud in Arizona. Then-Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, signed the measures into law in 2022, emphasizing the importance of election integrity and counting every lawful vote.

It is important to note that the Associated Press contributed to this report.

In conclusion, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton has upheld Arizona's voter citizenship requirement laws, asserting the state's interest in preventing voter fraud and ensuring that only eligible individuals are allowed to vote. The ruling clarifies certain requirements within the laws to maintain compliance with federal regulations.