Federal judge blocks enforcement of Ohio proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge temporarily halted the enforcement of a new Ohio law requiring voters to present proof of citizenship when registering at a motor vehicle bureau, a measure that began its inaugural year on November 5, 2024. The requirement, enacted by Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, sparked legal challenges from the Ohio Alliance of Retired Americans, the progressive group Red Wine & Blue, and their attorneys at the Democrat-aligned Elias Law Group.

U.S. District Court Judge Solomon Oliver Jr., based in Cleveland, deemed the provision potentially incompatible with the National Voter Registration Act, which he argued holds precedence. The injunction put on hold the practice of mandating such documentation prior to the October 5 registration deadline for the state's midterm elections.

The case arises as President Donald Trump advocates for congressional passage of legislation mandating proof of citizenship for voter registration, a move Ohio joins a small number of states in implementing for the first time in the 2024 midterms. South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming have also introduced similar requirements for this year's midterms, while Arizona had one already in effect for state and local elections.

On Tuesday, the League of Women Voters and a voter from Sioux Falls in South Dakota filed a lawsuit against the state's new proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration, requesting that a judge allow the use of photocopies of eligible ID forms and rescind guidance requiring certain ID types to be registered in person.