A US federal court on August 25 temporarily blocked enforcement of an Ohio law requiring residents to show proof of US citizenship when registering to vote at driver's license offices.
US District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr issued a preliminary injunction against the law, citing its potential violation of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) because it demands more information than necessary to determine residents' voting eligibility.
In his ruling, Judge Oliver wrote: “Election officials do not need proof of citizenship to evaluate an applicant's citizenship status, as a signature attesting to citizenship is sufficient.” He also pointed to an NVRA provision stating that each state's driver's license application “shall serve as an application to register to vote in federal elections unless the applicant does not sign the voter registration application.”
Judge Oliver argued that Ohio must offer applicants the opportunity to register to vote immediately after they submit their driver's license application, rather than after the application is approved by the state's Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). He added: “Interpreting this NVRA provision otherwise would allow states to make voter registration at the BMV more burdensome and could lead to fewer registered voters because the opportunity to apply is not actively offered to eligible citizens.”
Ohio passed its “motor-voter” law in 1995, permitting residents to register to vote when completing driver's license transactions. However, last year, the state's Republican-controlled legislature amended the law to address unsubstantiated claims, partly fueled by former US President Donald Trump, that non-citizens had voted in state elections. US federal law prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections.
The ruling is seen as a victory for voting rights groups like Red Wine & Blue, which sued Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, alleging the law disenfranchises eligible voters and violates the NVRA. Attorney Ben Stafford of that group called the ruling a “win for Ohio voters.” He said: “With the registration deadline just weeks away, eligible Ohioans will now have the opportunity to register to vote at the BMV without having to produce unnecessary paperwork not required by federal law.”
Meanwhile, Secretary LaRose said his office disagrees with the ruling and will appeal.
