The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case involving voter registration in Kansas and Arizona. The suit asks that the federal voter registration form be amended to include a Kansas requirement that some people registering provide documents proving their U.S. citizenship. The decision means a dual-registration system for Kansas voters will stay in place.
A lower court has already refused to modify the federal registration form. Kansans registering to vote on the federal form are only eligible to vote in federal races, not state or local elections, unless they turn in citizenship documents.
Republican Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach says he believes after more legal wrangling the high court will take up the suit.
“The Supreme Court quite often says ‘not yet.’ They don’t express any opinion on a case, they just say essentially they’re waiting for another circuit to weigh in. So I think this issue probably will go the Supreme Court,” says Kobach.
The League of Women Voters of Kansas says the citizenship requirement is blocking people who legally should be allowed to register to vote.
Kobach says the requirement is ensuring only citizens register to vote.