The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a Republican-backed appeal seeking to revive key provisions of Arizona’s proof-of-citizenship voting law, setting the stage for a major legal battle over voter registration requirements ahead of future federal elections.

The case concerns a 2022 Arizona law requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for certain voter registrations and directing election officials to remove voters from registration rolls if their citizenship cannot be verified. Lower federal courts blocked significant portions of the law, ruling that they conflict with the federal National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which allows citizens registering for federal elections to attest to their citizenship under penalty of perjury without providing additional documents.

The Supreme Court announced that it will hear the appeal during its next term, where the justices will determine whether Arizona may enforce the stricter citizenship verification requirements for federal voter registration. A decision is expected after oral arguments later this year.

Supporting the appeal, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said:

“The RNC is pleased that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear this important case involving the integrity and administration of federal elections.”

Republican lawmakers argue that requiring proof of citizenship is necessary to safeguard election integrity and prevent non-citizens from registering to vote. They maintain that states should have broader authority to verify voter eligibility before elections.

Opponents of the law, including voting-rights organizations and the U.S. Justice Department, contend that the additional documentation requirements could prevent eligible citizens from registering, particularly Latino, Native American and student voters, while noting that documented cases of non-citizen voting remain rare.

The Supreme Court previously allowed Arizona to enforce some proof-of-citizenship requirements for state and local elections while litigation continued, but left in place lower court rulings blocking similar requirements for federal elections. The upcoming case is expected to clarify the extent of states’ authority to impose citizenship verification rules beyond federal voter registration standards.