Fact Check: "Every voter must swear they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury."
What We Know
The claim that "every voter must swear they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury" is a statement that requires careful examination of voting laws across different states in the U.S.
In many states, voter registration forms do include a declaration where the applicant must affirm that they are a U.S. citizen. For instance, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires states to provide a voter registration form that includes a statement affirming citizenship. However, the specifics can vary significantly by state. Some states may require a signed affidavit or a declaration under penalty of perjury, while others may not have such stringent requirements.
Additionally, the enforcement of these requirements can differ. For example, some states may not actively verify the citizenship of every voter, relying instead on the signed declaration as sufficient proof. This means that while many voters do affirm their citizenship, the process and requirements can differ based on local laws and regulations.
Analysis
The assertion that every voter must swear they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury is partially accurate but lacks nuance. The requirement to affirm citizenship is indeed present in many states, but it is not universally applicable in the same manner across all states.
For instance, some states, like Arizona and Georgia, have explicit laws requiring voters to affirm their citizenship under penalty of perjury. In contrast, other states may have less stringent requirements or may not enforce such declarations rigorously.
Moreover, the reliability of the sources that discuss these laws varies. Official state election websites and legal texts provide the most accurate and reliable information regarding voter registration requirements. In contrast, anecdotal reports or interpretations from non-official sources may lack the necessary legal context or accuracy.
The claim also does not account for the complexities of voter registration processes, such as the use of automatic voter registration in some states, where individuals are registered to vote when they interact with certain government agencies, potentially without a direct affirmation of citizenship at that moment.
Conclusion
Verdict: Unverified
The claim that "every voter must swear they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury" is not universally true across all states and lacks the necessary context regarding the variability of voter registration laws. While many states do require some form of affirmation of citizenship, the specifics can differ widely, and not all states enforce these requirements uniformly. Therefore, the claim is best categorized as unverified due to its generalization and lack of specificity.
