Support for Arizona Anti-Immigration Measure Declines - 10 Point Decline

A diverse, bipartisan coalition of organizations and individuals has launched a massive voter mobilization campaign in Arizona to defeat Proposition 200, a controversial state initiative that will be on the November ballot, as support for the initiative showed a 10-point decline during the month of August.  The ballot measure, the so-called, "Arizona Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act," aims to eliminate the provision of government services to undocumented immigrants other than those programs and services currently mandated by federal law.  The Coalition to Defeat Proposition 200 is made up of community organizations representing labor, health care, education, faith, human rights, public safety, and public employees, including the NAACP, ACLU, National Organization of Women, National Council of La Raza, and the League of Women Voters.  More than 45 elected officials oppose the initiative, including Arizona's entire Congressional delegation and the chairs of both the Democratic and Republican parties.  Proposition 200 would require voters to present identification proving their citizenship when registering to vote or casting their ballot on Election Day.   Opponents counter that voter fraud by undocumented immigrants is "nonexistent" and warn that the new restrictions would only weaken voter participation in Arizona, a state that faces federally mandated oversight for its history of widespread voter disenfranchisement. [more ]