Arizona’s New Voter ID Rules OKd

Federal voting-rights enforcers Monday authorized Arizona to implement new voter identification requirements necessitated by a state immigration law approved in the November election.

The law requires that people provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, when registering to vote and show specified forms of identification when casting a ballot at a polling place.

Supporters have said the requirements are intended to prevent voter fraud.

But a civil rights group and Democratic legislators recently urged the Department of Justice to reject the law.

They argued the changes would erect barriers that would hinder minorities’ participation in elections and hamper grass-roots voter registration drives.

The Justice Department declined to overturn the law, but reserved the right to reexamine the issue if new information emerges during the rest of the 60-day review period.

Arizona needs federal clearance of all election laws and regulations because of the state’s history of violating minorities’ voting rights.

The Justice Department’s endorsement of the identification requirements drew criticism from a top Democratic lawmaker.

“The thing we’ve never realized about this is the impact it’s going to have on all of us ... what we’re going to have to do to register and to vote,” said state House Minority Leader Phil Lopes.

Arizona officials said they did not know whether the law would be implemented in time for the March 3 elections that are scheduled in some local jurisdictions.