Federal judge supports law on voter rules

Another federal court ruling has backed what is common sense - that it is a legitimate function of the government to ensure that those who vote in elections are legally qualified to do so.
 
The specific issue addressed by U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver was that the state's requirement that documents be provided in order to register to vote is a financial hardship which discourages participation, particularly by minorities groups, and that it is therefore discriminatory.
 
Silver rejected that argument and said the requirement to provide proof of citizenship so one can vote is reasonable and the needed documentation is generally already available or easily obtained.
 
"Proposition 200 enhances the accuracy of Arizona's voter rolls and ensures that the rights of lawful  voters are not debased by unlawfully cast ballots," she wrote in her opinion.
 
Voting is limited to citizens. It makes sense to verify citizenship when people register to vote, especially when there is evidence that some non-citizens are voting, which the judge found was the case.
 
It also makes sense to verify that the person who shows up to vote is actually the person they claim to be, as the new voter law requires. Voter fraud is nothing new in America and instituting reasonable systems to prevent it is legitimate. The judge believes the identification system is reasonable, as we do.
 
We certainly would oppose any system that attempts to force minorities to meet special requirements to vote, but that is not the case here. Everyone must meet the same standard and that is not discriminatory.
 
It is time for those who oppose these requirements to acknowledge that they are lawful and to help educate everyone about the new requirements which protect our voting system.