Ohio Law Requiring Voter ID Proof Blocked by Judge
An Ohio judge has halted a state law mandating voter registrants to provide photo ID proof of citizenship before registration. Judge Solomon Oliver Jr., appointed by President Clinton, issued a preliminary injunction against the law’s enforcement, citing a potential conflict with federal regulations.
Judge’s Decision
Judge 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 is a significant moment in the ongoing debate about state-level voting regulations and federal oversight.
Currently, Ohio voter registrants can enroll without needing a passport, a driver’s license, certification of naturalization, or a birth certificate.
Response to the Ruling
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose plans to appeal the decision, expressing strong disagreement. “We strongly disagree with that decision, and I’ve asked our legal team to file an immediate appeal. I will vigorously defend our legal authority to safeguard our voter rolls and protect the integrity of Ohio’s elections,” LaRose declared in a statement.
Legal Context
The case, Red Wine & Blue v. the Ohio Secretary of State, examines whether Ohio’s new law conflicts with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), known as the “Motor Voter Act.” Enacted in 1993, the NVRA requires states to allow voter registration using the same information needed for a driver’s license application. The law seeks to boost voter participation and states that the voter registration process should not duplicate information already provided for the driver’s license.
The NVRA does not explicitly prevent states from asking for citizenship proof. However, considering that most driver’s license forms include a query about citizenship status, Oliver believes additional documentation is unnecessary.
Opposing Views
Judge Oliver argued that “signed attestation of citizenship is enough” to assess voter registration applicants, highlighting the adequacy of current procedures. Conversely, Secretary LaRose pointed to instances of voter fraud slipping through due to insufficient enforcement.
LaRose referenced a case where an Ohio woman voted illegally in 2018. A Bureau of Motor Vehicles official had misled her into believing she could register, leading the court to find her not guilty by entrapment. “The Franklin County case proves it’s not enough to just have a person’s attestation,” LaRose emphasized. “Ohio has a constitutional requirement to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in our elections.”
Leo Briceno, a Fox News Digital politics reporter, contributed to this report. He previously reported for World Magazine.