The news organization Muckraker visited several locations in Arizona where Arizonans were being registered to vote for Democrats. Going undercover, according to its report, Muckraker found that canvassers working with Democratic-aligned groups appeared willing to register noncitizens and a felon to vote.
A.R.S. 16-182 makes it a class 6 felony to register someone to vote if the person knows the registrant is ineligible. Section (A) provides, “A person who knowingly causes, procures or allows himself to be registered as an elector of any county, city, town, district or precinct, knowing that he is not entitled to such registration, or a person who knowingly causes or procures another person to be registered as an elector of any county, city, town, district or precinct, knowing that such other person is not entitled to such registration, or an officer who knowingly enters the name of any person not entitled to registration upon the register or roll of electors, is guilty of a class 6 felony.”
Muckraker did not fully go through with allowing the canvassers to register its reporters. But Arizona has general attempt statutes, A.R.S. § 13-1001 et seq., that criminalize attempts at a crime where there is intent plus a substantial step toward completing it. In my view, that raises the question of whether some of the conduct shown in the video could amount to attempt. That is a question for prosecutors and courts, and no one has been charged.
According to Muckraker, Anthony Rubin, who runs the outlet with his brother, told a canvasser working with Stand Indivisible Arizona that he was Canadian but still wanted to register to vote. He asked if he filled out the voter registration application, whether she would report him. She said no. He asked if he could register his Canadian friends to vote. She handed him a card with a QR code and instructed him, “Take this and tell them to do it online.” He responded, “It’s like I have friends from Canada doing — that did that.”
She responded, “Only if they’re voting on my side,” and said all he needed was a driver’s license.
Read the rest of the article