In 2008, the Department of Justice found substantial non-compliance with Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act–which requires states to offer voter registration opportunities at all offices that provide public assistance–at Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES). In lieu of litigation, these findings led the DES and the DOJ to enter into an agreement to comply with the NVRA, ensuring that the state implements more voter registration opportunities to low-income Arizonans.
Earlier this year, the League of Women Voters and Project Vote teamed up to find–through their investigation of DES offices and working with the state agency–that DES was still not doing everything it should to follow the law. The League of Women Voters and Project Vote then set out to gain the support of friends and allies, who were equally concerned, with the hope of urging DES and Arizona to continue to make necessary strides to increase their levels of compliance with a law that has helped many underrepresented, low-income Arizonan communities cast their vote of Election Day.
Today, Project Vote and the League of Women Voters have that support.
The League of Women Voters of the United States president, Elisabeth MacNamara, will be hand-delivering a letter signed by a large coalition of voting rights advocates who are voicing their support for the National Voter Registration Act and requesting that the Arizona Department of Economic Security continue to increase and improve its efforts to maintain full compliance with this very important voting rights law. The coalition of voting rights groups include the following:
The League of Women Voters of Arizona, Project Vote, Old Pueblo Community Services, CODAC Behavioral Health Services, The Primavera Foundation, New Horizons Independent Living Center, Federated Community Church, The Giving Tree Outreach Program, Borderland Food Bank, Prescott Area Women’s Shelter, Coalition for Compassion & Justice, Arizona PIRG, Northland Cares, Arizona Advocacy Network, Flagstaff Shelter Services, Somos America/We Are America Coalition, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Just Vote Arizona Disability Coalition, Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council and the Cornucopia Community Advocates.
The above organizations believe that all Arizona citizens should have every opportunity to participate in the democratic process.