Ohio Judge Blocks Law Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration

An Ohio law mandating that voting registrants provide photo ID proof of citizenship has been temporarily blocked. This decision came from Judge Solomon Oliver Jr., who identified a conflict with federal law. He ruled that the requirement for documentary proof of citizenship before voter registration is at odds with federal guidelines.

Judge Oliver’s ruling allows Ohio residents to register to vote without needing a passport, current driver’s license, certification of naturalization, or birth certificate. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced plans to appeal the decision, expressing disagreement with the judge’s findings. LaRose emphasized the importance of safeguarding voter rolls and maintaining election integrity.

The case, Red Wine & Blue v. the Ohio Secretary of State, questioned whether the state law aligned with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Adopted in 1993, the NVRA encourages voter registration using the same documentation required for driver’s licenses. While it does not prevent states from demanding citizenship proof, Judge Oliver argued that duplicates information already on driver’s license forms.

“As the rest of Ohio’s voter registration scheme demonstrates, election officials do not need documentary proof of citizenship to assess a voter registration applicant’s citizenship because signed attestation of citizenship is enough,” Oliver wrote.

Ohio Secretary of State LaRose referenced instances of voter fraud to support the need for stricter requirements. He pointed to a case involving an Ohio woman who voted illegally after being misled by a Bureau of Motor Vehicles clerk, highlighting that an attestation of citizenship without further proof can be a weak safeguard.

LaRose emphasized Ohio’s constitutional duty to ensure that only citizens participate in elections. He remains committed to appealing the judge’s decision to protect the electoral process.