CJ Online – by Jonathan Shorman
A new federal lawsuit charges thousands of Kansans seeking to register to vote at DMV locations have been illegally blocked, forced to provide proof of citizenship in violation of federal law.
The suit, brought the American Civil Liberties Union, alleges DMV workers are telling individuals applying or renewing their drivers licenses who want to register they must have proof of citizenship, or are allowed to fill out a registration form and are later told they’re on a suspended voter list.
The suit targets Secretary of State Kris Kobach and Revenue Secretary Nick Jordan. The state’s proof of citizenship requirement violates federal law, the lawsuit says.
The ACLU argues that any of the documents an individual needs to present to prove lawful residency in the U.S. are also sufficient for establishing citizenship under Kansas law. Yet thousands of individuals seeking first-time drivers licenses who have also attempted to register to vote are on the suspended voter list, the lawsuit says.
“What’s happening in Kansas is outrageous,” Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said in a statement.
“Thousands of Kansans, including military veterans who have valiantly served our country, are blocked from voting by unnecessary bureaucratic roadblocks imposed by state officials. These shameful actions have made Kansas an epicenter of voter suppression. We say no more barriers. Let people vote.”
The Capital-Journal is seeking comment from Kobach’s office.
In 2014, Jordan described how the proof of citizenship requirement works at motor vehicle offices when they do not have documentation.
“The customer is verbally told they have not completed the voter registration process,” Jordan said. “Their receipt states the same and we hand them a paper, developed by the Kansas secretary of state, to say it one more time.”
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, asks the court to declare the proof of citizenship law invalid with respect to motor vehicle applicants and order Kobach to register motor voter applicants.
One of the plaintiffs, Air Force veteran Ralph Ortiz, alleges he was placed on the suspended voter list after attempting to register to vote at a DMV in Augusta.
“I joined the military to help protect American freedoms, yet now I’m being denied the most fundamental right in our democracy,” said Ortiz.
Earlier this month, a coalition of voting rights groups on Friday sued a federal elections official who decided that residents of Alabama, Kansas and Georgia can no longer register to vote using a national form without providing proof of U.S. citizenship, the Associated Press reported.
The complaint contends action by U.S. Election Assistance Commission executive director Brian Newby will hurt voter registration drives and deprive eligible voters of the right to vote in the presidential primary elections.
Newby had been the Johnson County Elections Commissioner until late last year.
In January, Shawnee County District Court Judge Franklin Theis ruled Kobach could not stop voters who registered with a federal form from voting in state and local elections.
“…seeking to register to vote at DMV locations have been illegally blocked, forced to provide proof of citizenship in violation of federal law.”
So it is illegal to require proof of ID / citizenship to vote?
Anyone in the world can vote in the US, no problem!
Tyranny Abounds
“We say no more barriers. Let people vote.”
Agreed.
Not as if they can change the (s)election outcome anyway.