HB1422, the Only Citizens Vote Act, is a harmful and unnecessary bill that seeks to modify Arkansas driver’s licenses to visibly mark certain noncitizens and impose new reporting requirements that could lead to voter suppression and discrimination.
The ACLU of Arkansas strongly opposes HB1422 because:
- It promotes voter intimidation and suppression. The bill mandates the state to compile and report lists of noncitizens with driver's licenses, creating a system prone to errors, intimidation, and wrongful voter purges.
- It risks wrongful disenfranchisement. By linking immigration status to voter registration records, this bill could result in citizens being mistakenly removed from voter rolls, violating their fundamental right to vote.
- It unfairly stigmatizes immigrants. Requiring a "Non-Citizen" label on driver’s licenses and enforcing a distinct design for noncitizens could lead to racial profiling and discrimination, undermining privacy and civil rights.
- It is a solution in search of a problem. Noncitizens are already prohibited from voting in Arkansas elections. HB1422 does nothing to strengthen election integrity but instead creates confusion and fear around voter registration.
Arkansas' motto is Regnat Populus — "the people rule." But HB1422 undermines that principle by placing unnecessary restrictions on voter registration and access. The ACLU of Arkansas stands against any effort to suppress voters, target immigrants, or create barriers to democracy.
