On Tuesday, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that aimed to establish residency criteria in Arizona and mandate proof of residency, such as a rental agreement or property ownership, for voting in the state’s elections.
SB 2581 stipulates that “a resident is an individual who has an actual physical presence in the state for at least one hundred eighty-one days with the intent to remain” but provides exceptions for individuals to vote if they provide evidence of employment, residential property, child school enrollment, and active duty military service.
Hobbs’ decision to veto the legislation coincides with reports of flyers circulating at a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Mexico, allegedly instructing illegal immigrants to vote for Joe Biden in the upcoming U.S. election, according to an investigation conducted by The Oversight Project, a watchdog initiative associated with the Heritage Foundation.
Additionally, voters are not required to show proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections on a “federal only” ballot.
On Tuesday, Hobbs also vetoed a bill that would have permitted Arizona homeowners to evict an unauthorized occupant or a “squatter” from their property.
She has vetoed over 185 bills since taking office last January. This shatters Democrat Janet Napolitano’s record of 181 vetoes during an entire four-year term.
Hobbs vetoed SB 2581, claiming that it “creates additional, unnecessary barriers for individuals registering to vote.”
Opponents of the bill argue that it could disenfranchise out-of-state college students from participating in Arizona’s elections, as the legislation defines “resident” as someone physically present in the state for 181 days with the intention to stay.
However, the bill includes six exceptions that would enable students and temporary residents to exercise their right to vote.
According to the bill text:
THE COUNTY ASSESSOR, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE COUNTY RECORDER MAY ESTABLISH A PHYSICAL PRESENCE REQUIREMENT OF LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE DAYS IF THE INDIVIDUAL DEMONSTRATES AN INTENT TO REMAIN BY PROVIDING EVIDENCE OF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. EMPLOYMENT.
2. PURCHASE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
3. RENTAL OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
4. PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES.
5. THE ENROLLMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR THE INDIVIDUAL’S CHILDREN IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL.
6. ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER IDENTIFICATION FOR SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.
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