SCOTUS allows Arizona ballot collection ban to stand

The Supreme Court on Saturday ruled that an Arizona ban on independent ballot collection may continue.

Some Arizonans — particularly those who live in border towns or on Native American reservations where postal service is inconsistent — have relied on ballot collectors to transport their mail-in votes to polling locations in time. Arizona made such third-party transport (except by family members and caregivers) a felony punishable by up to a year in jail and a $150,000 fine, a move Democrats say will in practice disenfranchise thousands of voters in rural and/or minority communities.

Supporters of the law say it is necessary for ballot security, arguing it "will not actually have a discriminatory impact or anything more than a minimal burden on the right to vote." The SCOTUS decision overturns a Friday ruling from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

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