“In 2004, Arizona voters enacted Proposition 200, a ballot measure that required voters to show ID at the polls and proof of citizenship when they register to vote,” said Secretary of State Ken Bennett. “After nearly 10 years of legal proceedings, we were disappointed to learn that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the state’s ability to require additional documentation of citizenship from a voter who doesn’t provide it on the federal voter registration form.

“While disheartened with the court’s decision, we were encouraged by its recognition that Arizona is not prohibited from denying registration based on information in the state’s possession which indicates the applicant is not eligible — precisely the procedure currently employed by the state’s county recorders.

“In addition, we plan to renew our request of the Election Assistance Commission to include information necessary to determine eligibility on the federal form as suggested by Justice Scalia. If the Commission once again refuses, we plan to pursue further litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act to include this information to determine eligibility.

“Election integrity starts with voter registration. We strongly believe citizenship is the foundation from which eligibility is derived and we will continue to look for ways to ensure only eligible citizens are casting ballots in our elections.”

Democrat incumbent Mayor Johnny DuPree has been certified the winner over independent challenger Dave Ware, by a margin of 37 votes, but:

“The drama surrounding June 4’s contested mayoral election drags on” as “irregularities bubble to the surface,” including “ballots with just two mayoral candidates, according to the claims of several voters” and ballots left unsecured overnight in an “unlocked City Hall and vault.”

More disturbing is “the strange case of voter Mitchell Carter who claims he shared a Rowan school polling booth with a DuPree campaign worker who voted on his behalf, though not for the candidate of his choice [Ware].”  18-year-old Carter tells his story in video at the link:

“It just happened that quick… They went out and picked out all the younger people to make them vote for DuPree, because they don’t know about all the politics and whatnot… My mom is saying African Americans, we worked hard to vote, you know what I’m saying? And when you strip that right, that’s like disrespecting the whole Civil Rights movement, you know?”

What’s next? Likely a court ruling on “whether enough incidents of illegal votes altered the election,” predicts former University of Southern Mississippi political science professor and DuPree supporter Joe Parker, who believes DuPree will “come out OK in the end,” quoting President John F. Kennedy after his narrow defeat of challenger Richard Nixon in the 1960 election: “Mandate. Schmandate. I’m here (in office), and he’s (Nixon) there.”