Saturday, September 29, 2012

ACLU Sues to Stop Citizenship Question on Michigan Ballots

Only citizens of the United States can legally vote in federal elections.  So Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson added a yes/no question on ballot applications that asks: "Are you a United States citizen?"
According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, this simple requirement is "an election day disaster in the making."  So the ACLU did what it usually does, which is to sue.
Filed on behalf of the UAW International, which includes the radical Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development (LA SED), a county election official, and several voters, the ACLU's Sept. 17 lawsuit charges that the citizenship question was not approved through proper channels and violates the 1965 Voting Rights Act because two townships it affects come under federal jurisdiction.
Also, the ACLU contends that this question was not asked of all voters in the August primary, and that including the question on the form could cause long lines on Election Day.
Really?  If you're a U.S. citizen, what would keep you from checking the right box?  How long could it take?  If you're not a U.S. citizen, what would you be doing at a polling place, unless you were trying to vote illegally?  

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