An Ohio judge appointed by former President Bill Clinton halted the enforcement of a law requiring new voters to show photo ID proof of citizenship. On Tuesday, Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. issued a stay, citing conflicts with federal law.
Oliver stated, “The court grants plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction…from relying on House Bill 54’s amendment to require any driver’s license or renewal to produce documentary proof of citizenship before offering the opportunity to register to vote.”
This decision adds to the ongoing debate over whether state requirements to prevent non-citizens from voting infringe on federal regulations.
“The federal government must address this issue,” Oliver added.
Currently, Ohioans registering to vote can do so without needing a passport, current driver’s license, naturalization paper, or birth certificate. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose intends to challenge this ruling by appealing. In a statement, LaRose emphasized his intention to protect Ohio’s voter rolls and election integrity.
The legal challenge, Red Wine & Blue v. the Ohio Secretary of State, questioned if Ohio’s law conflicted with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), enacted in 1993 to encourage voter registration through the driver’s license process.
The NVRA stipulates that voter registration forms can’t duplicate information on driver’s license applications. Though it doesn’t ban proof of citizenship, Oliver argued requiring additional documentation could be excessive since driver’s license forms already include citizenship status.
Oliver noted, “Election officials don’t need documentary proof of citizenship to assess a voter registration applicant’s citizenship as signed attestation of citizenship is enough.”
LaRose countered, pointing out cases of voter fraud that occurred due to lenient enforcement.
He referred to a case where an Ohio woman, who was a lawful permanent resident, unlawfully voted in 2018. A government official, an employee at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, allegedly misled her.
“That case demonstrated the inadequacy of current measures,” LaRose said. “Ohio must ensure only U.S. citizens vote.”
Leo Briceno reports on politics for Fox News Digital. He previously wrote for World Magazine.
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