Attorney General Mayes Defends Arizona's Proof-of-Citizenship Voter Registration Law at U.S. Supreme Court

PHOENIX — Attorney General Kris Mayes today filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court defending Arizona's authority to require proof of citizenship from voters who register using the state's own registration form.
 
In Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota, the State argues that the Ninth Circuit misread the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) when it held the federal law prohibits Arizona from requiring proof of citizenship on state-created registration forms. The brief contends that Arizona — not the federal government — defines voter eligibility, and that proof of citizenship is necessary in Arizona for state election officials to assess whether an applicant who uses a state-created form meets Arizona's voter qualifications, particularly after the Legislature's 2022 enactment of House Bill 2492.

"Arizona has clear authority to make sure the people registering to vote here are actually eligible," said Attorney General Mayes. “Ensuring that only eligible citizens cast a ballot is vital to protecting the integrity of our elections, and Arizona has long been a national leader on this issue. I am proud to defend Arizona’s laws at the Supreme Court."

A copy of the brief is available.