A United States federal court has temporarily blocked an Ohio law that required proof of US citizenship from residents who wanted to register to vote while obtaining a driver’s license. The ruling on Tuesday by US District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr granted a preliminary injunction, stating the law likely violates the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).

Judge Oliver found that the amended law demanded more documentation than necessary to confirm a resident's eligibility to vote. He emphasized that election officials can determine citizenship through a signed attestation, rather than requiring documentary proof.

The judge also highlighted a provision within the NVRA stating that a state’s driver’s license application “shall serve as an application for voter registration… unless the applicant fails to sign the voter registration application.” Oliver specified that Ohio must provide the opportunity to register to vote at the time a driver's license application is submitted, not after it is approved.

This decision could prevent voter registrations from becoming more difficult and potentially reduce the number of eligible citizens registering to vote. The NVRA aims to make voter registration more accessible, particularly at motor vehicle departments.

Ohio enacted a "motor-voter" law in 1995, allowing individuals to register to vote when applying for a driver's license. However, the state's Republican-controlled legislature amended this law last year. The amendment was an effort to address unproven claims, supported by former President Donald Trump, that noncitizens were voting in state elections, despite US law prohibiting noncitizens from participating in federal elections.

The ruling is considered a victory for voting rights organizations, such as Red Wine Blue, which had sued Ohio’s secretary of state, Frank LaRose. The plaintiffs argued the law disenfranchised eligible voters and contravened the NVRA. One of the group's attorneys stated that eligible Ohioans can now register at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles without submitting unnecessary documents not mandated by federal law.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose indicated that his office disagrees with the court's decision and intends to appeal the ruling. The legal challenge comes as the voter registration deadline is approaching in the state.

The case underscores ongoing legal battles over voting access and election integrity in the United States, with federal and state laws often at the center of disputes over voter registration processes.