Judge blocks Ohio proof-of-citizenship law for voter registration

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked Ohio from enforcing a new requirement that people provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote at a motor vehicle bureau.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed the measure in March 2025, amending the state’s “motor voter” law to require that individuals show a U.S. passport, birth certificate or other accepted form of citizenship proof when registering to vote while simultaneously applying for a driver’s license or state ID card.

U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. ruled that the process likely conflicts with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) because it demands more than the “minimum amount of information necessary” compared to Ohio’s other voter registration methods.

“The record shows, and Defendants acknowledge, that signed attestation to U.S. citizenship is ‘the minimum amount of information necessary,’ to enable Ohio’s election officials to assess voter eligibility and administer other parts of the election process,” Oliver wrote in a........

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