JUNE 19, 2013
Speaker Tobin responding to ruling on Prop 200
“Only citizens of the United States have the constitutional right to vote and therefore, no others should be allowed to register. This is the undeniable fact that served as the driving force behind Arizona’s Prop 200 which received overwhelming support from Arizona voters. The decision handed down today does not change that central and elemental requirement. However, it does temporarily force Arizona to accept federal voter registration forms with no requirement to prove citizenship.
Although Prop 200 opponents may be crowing over this latest victory in the battle against the will of the people of Arizona, they will ultimately lose the war. All nine justices agreed that every state, including Arizona, still retains the authority to determine who is qualified to vote in elections. The majority opinion even suggests a course of action for Arizona to work with federal authorities to ensure that proof of citizenship be required for future elections.
Although I am disappointed that the Supreme Court chose to have Arizona jump through additional hoops, I remain confident and determined that we will find ways to ensure the undisputed integrity and legitimacy of our state’s electoral process. I support Secretary of State Bennett as he implements the process requesting new state-specific instructions, as outlined by the Supreme Court, which will allow Arizona to retain its legitimate authority to require proof of citizenship from all who seek to exercise their constitutional right to register to vote.”
