Arizona Republicans enact a controversial new proof-of-citizenship voting law

Arizona Republicans enact¹ a controversial new proof-of-citizenship² voting law

　　Transcript³

　　Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday signed legislation to expand U.S. citizenship voting requirements in the state, a measure that critics warn will jeopardize⁴ the voter registrations⁶ of thousands of Arizona residents.

　　In signing House Bill 2492, Ducey disputed testimony⁷ from local officials and voting rights advocates who say an unknown number of voters — predominantly older, longtime Arizona residents — will be purged⁸ from the state's voter rolls because the last time they registered to vote, there was no requirement to provide proof of citizenship. Critics say those voters would then need to register again.

　　In 2004, Arizona voters approved a ballot⁹ measure to add proof of citizenship as a requirement for voter registration⁵. The measure included language that grandfathered in voters who were already registered prior to 2005, when the law took effect.

　　Marilyn Rodriguez, a lobbyist for the ACLU of Arizona, said HB 2492 supersedes¹⁰ the old law and would now apply the citizenship requirement retroactively.

　　"So many thousands of eligible¹¹ voters could lose access to the polls based on specific and targeted criteria," she told the state Senate Government Committee earlier this month. "This bill singles out older voters, on average, and people who have lived in Arizona for a longer amount of time."

　　County election officials agree, and testified that they'll have to pore over voter registration databases to see who's affected¹² by the change. They say they have no way of knowing exactly the number of impacted voters until they start looking.

　　One estimate put the tally¹³ as high as 192,000 voters. That's the number of Arizonans who were issued a state driver's license¹⁴ prior to 1996 — when the state updated its credentialing process to ensure a driver's lawful¹⁵ presence in the United States — and have not altered their license since, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

　　The timing¹⁶ of when the law takes effect — 90 days after the end of the legislative¹⁷ session — may create even more problems for election officials. Depending on when the session ends, the law could be in place before the state's August primary, or in between the primary and November general election — creating a situation in which voters who cast a ballot in August may no longer be eligible in November.

　　But in a letter explaining his decision to sign the legislation, Ducey argued the bill "does not disturb the safe harbor granted to Arizona voters" who registered before the state's citizenship requirement was adopted.

　　"Election integrity means counting every lawful vote and prohibiting any attempt to illegally cast a vote," Ducey wrote. "H.B. 2492 is a balanced approach that honors Arizona's history of making voting accessible without sacrificing security in our elections."

　　Questions of constitutionality

　　At its core, HB 2492 is a new attempt to apply citizenship standards to all voters in Arizona, including those who use a federal voter registration form prepared by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. That form requires voters to check a box declaring under penalty of perjury¹⁸ that they're U.S. citizens and eligible to vote — but it doesn't require documented proof of citizenship, like Arizona does.

　　The U.S. Supreme¹⁹ Court ruled in 2013 that Arizona couldn't impose a proof-of-citizenship requirement on voters who register with the federal form. The state has since created a bifurcated²⁰ voting system that allows federally registered voters to cast ballots²¹ in federal elections, but not state or local races.

　　Republican lawmakers have bemoaned²² an increase in those federal-only voters — more than 11,600 cast a ballot in the 2020 general election, according to Ducey — and made several attempts over the years to restrict their access to the ballot.

　　The latest effort, signed by Ducey Wednesday, requires election officials to research the citizenship status of those federal-only voters. Under HB 2492, if elections officials can't find evidence that a federally registered voter is a U.S. citizen, that voter can't vote by mail, or cast a vote in presidential elections.

　　And if election officials find evidence a federally registered voter is not a citizen, the Arizona attorney general would be required to prosecute²³.

　　Jen Marson, the executive director of the Arizona Association of Counties, told a Senate committee that HB 2492 puts county election workers in a "terrible position" — choosing to follow a state law that clearly violates a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, or uphold the court's ruling and be charged with felonies under Arizona law.

　　Even attorneys for the Republican-controlled Arizona legislature warn those measures are likely unconstitutional.

　　"It's a very clear decision," Marson testified about the Supreme Court ruling. "It's very emphatic²⁴ and it absolutely nullifies the provisions of [House Bill] 2492. Counties cannot violate federal law."

　　The new law is expected to face legal challenges, and could perhaps face the scrutiny²⁵ of a more conservative U.S. Supreme Court than in 2013.

　　The GOP-backed legislation follows a discredited²⁶ partisan-led review of the 2020 election in Arizona's largest county, Maricopa. Last year, the state's Republicans enacted²⁷ sweeping²⁸ changes to Arizona's early voting process, and stripped some of the election authority from the Democratic secretary of state.

1 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

2 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。

5 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

6 registrations   

n.登记( registration的名词复数 )；登记项目；登记（或注册、挂号）人数；（管风琴）音栓配合（法）

参考例句：

• In addition to the check-in procedures, the room clerks are customarily responsible for recording advance registrations. 除了办理住宿手续外，客房登记员按惯例还负责预约登记。 来自辞典例句
• Be the Elekta expert for products registrations in China. 成为在中国注册产品的医科达公司专家。 来自互联网

7 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

8 purged   

清除（政敌等）( purge的过去式和过去分词 )； 涤除（罪恶等）； 净化（心灵、风气等）； 消除（错事等）的不良影响

参考例句：

• He purged his enemies from the Party. 他把他的敌人从党内清洗出去。
• The iron in the chemical compound must be purged. 化学混合物中的铁必须清除。

9 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

10 supersedes   

取代，接替( supersede的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The new supersedes the old. 新陈代谢。
• No sooner do you buy a computer than they bring out a new one which supersedes it. 你买电脑后不久他们就会推出新产品取代它。

11 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

12 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

13 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

14 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

15 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

16 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

17 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

18 perjury   

n.伪证；伪证罪

参考例句：

• You'll be punished if you procure the witness to commit perjury.如果你诱使证人作伪证，你要受罚的。
• She appeared in court on a perjury charge.她因被指控做了伪证而出庭受审。

19 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

20 bifurcated   

a.分为两部分

参考例句：

• Over the past 15 years the marketplace for art books has bifurcated. 过去15年里，卖艺术类书籍的市场逐渐分化。
• This bifurcated view was reflected in how U.S. officials described the trip. 这种一分为二的观点也反映在美国官员自己对访华之行的描述上。

21 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 bemoaned   

v.为（某人或某事）抱怨( bemoan的过去式和过去分词 )；悲悼；为…恸哭；哀叹

参考例句：

• The farmer bemoaned his loss. 农夫抱怨他所受到的损失。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He only bemoaned his fate. 他忍受了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

23 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

24 emphatic   

adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的

参考例句：

• Their reply was too emphatic for anyone to doubt them.他们的回答很坚决，不容有任何人怀疑。
• He was emphatic about the importance of being punctual.他强调严守时间的重要性。

25 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

26 discredited   

不足信的，不名誉的

参考例句：

• The reactionary authorities are between two fires and have been discredited. 反动当局弄得进退维谷，不得人心。
• Her honour was discredited in the newspapers. 她的名声被报纸败坏了。

27 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

28 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？