Hispanics, native Americans and blacks "are less likely to have the identification that Proposition 200 required'' before individuals can vote.
Democratic state legislators are urging federal officials to block Proposition 200's voting provisions from becoming law on the grounds that they may keep minorities from voting. In a letter sent to the Justice Department on Tuesday, the 29 legislators said they were concerned that minorities may be less likely to have acceptable proof of citizenship or form of identification needed when and if the voting provision of the law goes into effect. "We all want to protect the integrity of our elections . . . but the voter identification portion, the way it is drafted, will impact the ability of minorities to vote, and I don't think that is what our democratic system is all about," said Rep. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, one of the letter's authors. Parts of Proposition 200 dealing with welfare benefits already have become law. If it gains Justice Department approval, the measure also will require new voters to present proof of citizenship in order to register, and all voters to show identification at the polls. The legislators say in their letter that the new rules will especially deter grassroots registration drives. They also argue that the measure is discriminatory because it only applies to voting in person, not by mail, and more minorities vote in person than choose early ballots, they said. [more] and [more]