Arizona rejects citizenship voting requirement ballot measure

A ballot measure that would stipulate only U.S. citizens can register and vote in Arizona elections and ban foreign nationals from contributing to elections in the state is projected to fail, according to Decision Desk HQ.

DDHQ called the vote at 12:15 a.m. EST Wednesday, with 62 percent of votes counted. The ballot breakdown was around 56 percent in favor of the proposition, 44 percent opposed.

Voters rejected the constitutional amendment, known as Proposition 144 , which would mandate that only U.S. citizens can register and vote in the elections in the Grand Canyon State, ban foreign contributions in Arizona elections, require government-issued proof of identification to cast in-person and mail-in ballots and allow voters to have their ballots tabulated at their polling location on the day of the election.

Arizona passed a measure in 2004 that required proof of citizenship in order to register to vote, though the Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that the National Voter Registration Act invalidated that requirement for voters using the federal form to register.

The state’s law currently requires either a form of photo ID or two forms of certain identification documents without a photo in order to cast a ballot early or on Election Day.

Noncitizens are not allowed to vote in federal elections, and only a small group of municipalities in addition to Washington, D.C., allow them to vote in certain elections, according to Ballotpedia .

Republicans have leaned into issues around voting and proper identification , particularly as President Trump has asserted without basis that there has been widespread voter fraud .

The president has pressed GOP lawmakers to pass legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to register to vote and show photo identification at the polls, though those efforts have been unsuccessful.

Ballotpedia notes that 15 states are teeing up ballot measures next week pertaining to election policy, including six states that are asking voters about voting and citizenship and six states asking about voter ID.

The nation’s highest court is expected to hear a case this fall around whether Arizona can mandate proof of citizenship as a requirement for voter registration.