Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne sued the federal government Thursday, arguing a provision of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional.
Arizona is one of a handful of states, counties and towns that has to get federal approval to changes to their voting laws. But Horne said Arizona should never have been included and he wants the state to be able to change its laws without getting the Justice Department’s okay.
"This is definitely a sovereignty issue," Horne said. "Under the constitution, the federal government has no business coming in here and micromanaging everything we do that has to do with where draw our districts or how we do our voting."
Horne said Arizona is the first state to file suit to try to get out of the pre-clearance provision. He said other states are watching and could follow if Arizona succeeds.
He filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. He expects the case to end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said his agency will continue to enforce the voting rights act.
