The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that Arizona is allowed to require voters to present identification before being allowed to cast their ballot. In their decision the judges rejected claims that asking voters for identification was discriminatory to Latino voters. In addition, the court dismissed the idea that requiring identification is the same as instituting a "poll tax".

Identification at the polls was not the only issue brought before the court last June. There was also the question of whether Prop. 200 from 2004 appropriately requires that anyone wanting to register to vote first provide proof of citizenship. In this matter, the court ruled that Arizona cannot strictly enforce this provision because Congress has previously created a specific form which allows people to register to vote by mail. This federal form does not have a proof-of-citizenship requirement. Thus, Arizona election officials are required to register people who sign up using the federal form even if they do not provide the state-required identification. However, the court declared that Arizona is still able to demand proof of citizenship when people go to state offices and use an Arizona registration form.

It is expected that Arizona will appeal the case the U.S. Supreme Court but there is no timeline as to when that may occur. In addition the Arizona Secretary of State's office is reviewing the decision to determine the statewide impact. 

AACo will keep the counties informed of the implementation process as details from the Secretary of State's office become available.

Governments across the nation are taking advantage of cloud platform technologies to increase transparency, efficiency of workflow, citizen engagement and collaboration.  Granicus is a leader in the field of open platform technologies and in conjunction with AACo, will be presenting a webinar Tuesday, April 24 at noon on these groundbreaking services.

Granicus' solutions enable government agencies to connect with citizens in meaningful new ways online, over mobile devices, or social networks. They also help boost staff efficiency and control costs through automated online processes that can be managed at anytime, from any location.

This webinar is not a sales-pitch; rather, a demonstration of new technologies available to help make local governments more efficient and transparent.

REGISTER NOW!

National County Government Month continues, and AACo is providing resources for all members to use in promoting "Healthy Counties, Healthy Families" to their residents.

In addition to daily Twitter and Facebook posts providing statistical data and talking points to address health-related issues in Arizona, the Association has produced a series of videos -- releasing one each week -- dealing with public health topics. 

This week's video focuses on the importance of blood donation in maintaining a healthy community.

For those unable to view our channel at work, links to these videos appear in the Official News section of AACo News in our mobile app.  In-app viewing of videos is supported on Apple and Android products. 

Arizona counties and their departments are welcome to link to these videos on their websites, or to post them on their social media outlets.

During tough economic times, it is important to promote parks and outdoor activities that individuals can freely access within the communities they live. U.S. Communities' Outdoor Recreation Solutions provide creative, cost-effective ways for Counties, Cities and Schools to improve community recreation, parks and open space systems. Register for U.S. Communities Outdoor Recreation Solutions webinar today to learn how this solution can help promote health and wellness in your community.

 
U.S. Communities is a trusted leader in providing contracts that meet the requirements of purchasing professionals across the country. To learn more about U.S. Communities Outdoor Recreation Solutions, visit the U.S. Communities website or register for our Outdoor Recreation Solutions webinar, which will be presented Tuesday, May 1, at 11 a.m.