Supreme Court Strikes Down Ballot Harvesting

In a sweeping 6-3 decision the Supreme Court yesterday ruled in favor of two Arizona election laws, one of which prohibits ballot harvesting, which is the collection of ballots by third parties. “This is a big win for states on election laws,” noted Jonathan Turley, Washington University Law School professor. The decision now becomes precedent to ban ballot harvesting in all States.

Democrats in Brnovich v. DNC also challenged Arizona’s ban on ballot harvesting and the requirement that voters cast ballots on Election Day in the precinct of the county where they are registered. They claimed the laws have an adverse impact on minority groups. In writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito found this not to be the case as election procedures were “equally open”.

Alito also noted that “the strength of the state interests—such as the strong and entirely legitimate state interest in preventing election fraud—served by a challenged voting rule is an important factor. Ensuring that every vote is cast freely and without undue influence, is also a valid and important state interest.” The voting plan endorsed by the liberal Justices would also “transfer much of the authority to regulate election procedures from the States to the federal courts,” he wrote.