The U.S. Supreme Court will hold oral arguments on March 2 on Arizona’s ballot collection law, choosing to review the decision of a federal appeals court that voided the state’s ban.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals attempted to lift Arizona’s ban on so-called ballot harvesting last January, ruling that it violated the Voting Rights Act. The law makes it a felony, subject to one year in state prison and a $150,000 fine, to handle anyone else’s already voted ballot.
The ban on ballot collection remained in place through the 2020 Presidential Election. The 9th Circuit put its decision on hold while the state appealed.
The circuit court’s ruling also noted Arizona's "long history of race-based voting discrimination,” saying that the law was enacted with discriminatory intent.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has argued the ban is aimed at curbing potential voter fraud.
