Arizona and Kansas asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to lift an emergency stay it issued last week, in a case dealing with proof of citizenship for voters.
Officials in the two states say they have a sovereign right to require proof of citizenship for voting residents of their states, even for federal elections. They want the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to lift its stay, which blocked a federal judge’s ruling that requires the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to modify its federal voter registration form for Arizona and Kansas residents. That judge had previously declined to stay his ruling while on appeal.
Kansas claims the appeals court stay would force it to implement a burdensome dual election system, like the one in Arizona. Under that system, voters who registered with the federal form can only vote in federal races, while those using the more stringent state registration forms can vote in all elections.
