Repealing Women's Right to Vote in Arizona

Ah, those unintended consequences, biting us in the hinder once again. Legitimate voters having trouble registering in Arizona (pesky registration required):

A stringent new voter identification law being put into effect in Arizona — designed to keep illegal immigrants from voting — will also prevent thousands of legitimate voters from casting ballots Tuesday, election officials say.

Proposition 200, which voters approved last year, requires Arizonans to prove U.S. citizenship to register to vote and to show a photo ID at the polls.

Doesn't sound that bad. I mean, voter fraud, that's an issue. Right? Well...

In Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, more than 10,000 people trying to register have been rejected for being unable to prove their citizenship. Yvonne Reed, a spokeswoman for the recorder's office, said Friday that most probably are U.S. citizens whose married names differ from their birth certificates or who have lost documentation.

And who are the people most likely to have different married names? Women.

In Pima County, home to Tucson, 60% of those who tried to register initially could not. Chris Roads, chief deputy recorder and registrar, said all appeared to be U.S. citizens but many had moved to Arizona recently and couldn't access birth certificates or passports.

Many of those prospective voters have since been able to register, but Roads said about 1,000 citizens were still unable to vote in Tuesday's election because of Proposition 200 requirements. "The biggest bloc of people who are impacted are the legitimate citizens," Roads said.

Not only is this a problem for women, but it's also a problem for poor folks. Do you have a copy of YOUR birth certificate? I don't. Some states require you to appear in person to get a new copy. Say you were born in a state that requires you to appear, but you moved to Arizona as a young girl. And say you're a single mom with very little if any disposable income. And let's say further you've lost your birth certificate. And let's say you want to vote. You have to come up with the money to go to your birth state to get your birth certificate, or no voting for you. This is, in essence, a poll tax.

Now. Do I think this was the intent of the law? No. But the disenfranchisement of married women and the poor was a consequence that could have easily been foreseen.

Hat tip to Cream City.

Categories: feminism, Arizona, politics, voting