The Supreme Court today handed down a decision in an Arizona voting rights case, upholding the state’s restriction on “ballot harvesting” and policy of dismissing ballot cases filed in the wrong precinct:
BREAKING NEWS: In 6-3 ruling, SCOTUS upholds two Arizona voting provisions: a ban on so-called “ballot harvesting,” and a policy that throws out an entire ballot if it was cast in the wrong precinct. Challengers argued that both provisions discriminate against minority voters.
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) July 1, 2021
Justice Alito writes the majority opinion joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett.
Justice Kagan dissents joined by Breyer and Sotomayor.
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) July 1, 2021
Justice Alito for the court, “[W]e think it prudent to make clear at the beginning that we decline in these cases to announce a test to govern all VRA §2 claims involving rules, like those at issue here, that specify the time, place, or manner for casting ballots.”
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) July 1, 2021
This is significant because the eradication of ballot harvesting is a key component of new election rules being enacted around the country, such as the Georgia bill that drew much criticism earlier this year.
You can read the full ruling here.
