A federal judge has temporarily blocked an Ohio law that would have required people registering to vote through state motor vehicle offices to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.
U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. issued a preliminary injunction, finding that Ohio’s requirement went beyond what federal law permits. Under the ruling, voters can register by signing a written declaration affirming that they are U.S. citizens, without having to produce documents such as a birth certificate, passport or naturalization certificate.
The decision comes as Ohio prepares for the November midterm elections, with a closely watched Senate contest adding to the political importance of the state.
The dispute centers on the National Voter Registration Act, a federal law enacted in 1993 to make voter registration more accessible, including through driver’s-license offices. Groups challenging Ohio’s law argued that demanding additional citizenship documents created an unnecessary barrier for eligible voters.
Oliver agreed, concluding that a written citizenship attestation provides election officials with a sufficient basis to determine whether an applicant meets the eligibility requirements.
The ruling represents a setback for Ohio Republicans and a broader campaign by Republican officials across the country to impose stricter voter-registration requirements. President Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly argued that stronger citizenship checks are necessary to prevent non-citizens from appearing on voter rolls.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had signed the contested measure into law last year. The legislation required applicants seeking to register while obtaining a driver’s license or other state identification to submit documentation proving their citizenship.
Supporters of the law have maintained that voter rolls should contain only eligible U.S. citizens. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has defended the state’s efforts to strengthen election safeguards and verify voter eligibility.
Opponents, however, argue that cases of non-citizens voting in U.S. elections are uncommon and that demanding additional paperwork could discourage or prevent eligible citizens from registering.
The lawsuit was brought by voting-rights and advocacy organizations, including the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans. Following the injunction, the groups said eligible Ohio residents would be able to register at Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices without having to produce the additional citizenship documents required under the blocked provision.
The ruling also lands amid a wider national battle over proof-of-citizenship requirements. Trump has backed legislation that would establish a nationwide documentary proof requirement for voter registration, but efforts to enact such a measure have so far failed.
The Ohio case is expected to remain part of the larger legal and political fight over how far states can go in imposing additional safeguards on voter registration while complying with federal protections designed to expand access to the ballot.
