Voter Registration Proof of Citizenship Overturned in Arizona

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that Arizona may not require documentary proof of citizenship from people seeking to vote in federal elections. (Read the court opinion.)

During oral argument in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Justice Sotomayor's first question was about an amicus brief signed by Nonprofit VOTE and other community-based voter engagement groups. (See the transcript.) The brief urged the Court to strike down the portion of Arizona Proposition 200 that required proof of citizenship to accompany any voter registration application, even when applicants have attested to citizenship under oath.

While the National Voter Registration Act allows voters to check a box verifying that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury, Arizona's law required prospective voters to prove they were citizens by submitting documentation--like a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization paper.

Thus the ruling was critical to many community-based registration efforts that overwhelmingly rely on approaching individuals who did not plan in advance to register at that time or location and who are therefore unlikely to be carrying a birth certificate, passport, or other documentation.

In addition to this week's decision, the Supreme Court will soon be ruling on the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

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Arizona Nonprofits in Action

Many in Arizona's nonprofit community are working diligently to register and educate voters with the goal of increasing voter turnout this November.

This year, the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits is collaborating with several partners to offer tools and assistance to organizations interested in actively engaging their stakeholders. The next event--kicking off their voter registration phase--will be a voter engagement workshop on Friday, March 16, presented by Reclaiming Our Community's Power.

The Alliance has also partnered with the O'Connor House Centennial Voter Initiative, which is creating a broad-based coalition of partners to “stimulate an informed and engaged electorate, create more awareness of the importance of voting, provide easy access to fact-based information, register significant numbers of people regardless of party or views, and to get people to the polls in record numbers.”

And of course, they frequently share Nonprofit VOTE resources with their network. Arizona nonprofits are voterizing! Will you join them?

Redistricting Continues in 19 States

As of last week, nineteen states are still without final districts. The redistricting process went smoothly and quickly in some states, but in others, maps are already in courts and others will be soon.

In Arizona, Governor Jan Brewer led a(n initially) successful charge to oust the chairwoman of the state’s independent commission. However, the Arizona Supreme Court overturned her decision, leaving some to speculate that the governor could still have her removed at a future date. Nevertheless, once finalized, many expect Arizona's maps to be challenged in court.

Based on the 2010 Census figures, Texas gained four additional representatives in the House. However, last week a federal court rejected the legislature's newly drawn lines, claiming they did not appropriately reflect Latino populations. This is nothing new, as Texas' maps have been challenged in court every decade for the past half century.

With presidential primaries beginning in early January, time is running out for states to finalize districts ahead of 2012.

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2012 Nonprofit Campaign Underway in Arizona

More than 150 nonprofit leaders gathered in Phoenix earlier this month to kick off a year-long campaign to increase voter participation in the 2012 elections and “Reclaim Our Community's Power.” The event was designed to inspire and equip nonprofits and other community-based organizations to conduct nonpartisan voter engagement in 2012.

Nonprofit VOTE's Lindsey Hodel was a keynote speaker, and one participant blogged that "she inspired the audience with her innovative and pioneer experiences." Lindsey called on participants to "voterize" their organizations--both for the benefit of their clients and for their missions.

Although nonprofits cannot support or oppose candidates, they can most certainly help people register and vote. By doing so, nonprofits can ensure that elected officials are representative of our communities and that public policy reflects the community's needs. The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits noted that "For too many years, most nonprofits have not seized the opportunity presented by elections to shape the communities they serve." That is no longer true in Arizona. The Arizona nonprofit community has committed to registering, informing, and activating voters, demonstrating how easy it is to create a "powerful political force."

Momentum is already gathering in Arizona, but what about in your state? It's never to early to start thinking about 2012. Sign up for our newsletter and stay connected as we cover ways your nonprofit can get involved!

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Arizona Nonprofit Fights Ballot Measure

Nonprofit organizations have played an increasingly important role in organizing supporters for and against ballot measures. In the most recent election, Southwest Human Development--Arizona's largest nonprofit child development agency, serving children ages 0-5 and their families--turned their attention to Proposition 302, which aimed to repeal the First Things First Program, an early childhood services program.

A member of Protecting Arizona's Family Coalition and the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, Southwest Human Development set the tone for issue-based work. After staff sat down to learn more about voter engagement, they carried the work forward with enthusiasm. Those responsible for home visits were trained to conduct outreach with clients as well as their family members. Southwest Human Development organized numerous phone banks and sent out election reminders through their many networks. They also spread the word about voting by mail, a necessity for many of their clients who lack ready access to transportation.

Southwest Human Development used their get-out-the-vote and registration efforts to talk to the community about Proposition 302 and encourage a "No" vote. Their advocacy and extensive engagement work--not to mention the support of other nonprofits and community members--paid off with the proposition's defeat.

Southwest Human Development was not alone in taking action this year. What issue(s) inspired your nonprofit to act?

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