Arizona is cracking down at the voting polls to prevent voting fraud and ensure that all voters are legally allowed to vote. This means that having a filled out government issued voter registration form may no longer be sufficient at the voting polls. Additionally, if you have a committed an offense that resulted in the loss of your civil rights, then you may only be able to vote by restoring your civil rights. Restoring your civil rights in Arizona may restore your right to vote, your right to serve on a jury, and/or your right to hold public office.
Arizona voting rights photo by Steve Depolo”
Current Arizona Law Regarding Civil Rights
Currently in Arizona, there are a few limitations on voting or serving on a jury. If you were convicted of one felony, your civil rights are automatically restored, provided that you have completed your probation or received an absolute discharge from imprisonment, and that you paid any fines owed to the court. If you were convicted of two or more felonies, you may petition the court to restore your civil rights after successful completion of probation or receiving an absolute discharge from imprisonment. You must also be a resident of the jurisdiction where you are summoned to serve or registered to vote. Outside of those few limitations, most people have the right to vote or serve on a jury.
Though the Supreme Court has not mandated a law enforcing voters to show proof of identification, Arizona seems determined to enforce their own policies by enforcing that voters show proof of citizenship for state and local elections. According to NPR reporter Liz Halloran, Arizona is challenging the 1993 National Voter Registration Act that requires voters to “accept and use” a federal voter registration forms as proof of identification for voting by demanding that voters show a documentary proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or a passport.
Potential Problems with the New Voting System
While this new system is primarily problematic for voters without a birth certificate or passport, the rigid regulation is also problematic for those who have lost their civil rights and have neglected to restore those rights. Forgo the potential embarrassment of being turned away at the voting poles in the upcoming 2014 elections by petitioning to restore your Arizona civil rights.
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