Appeals court lifts injunction on citizen requirement to register to vote

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(The Center Square) – A federal appeals court has reinstated an Ohio law requiring a person to present proof of citizenship before registering to vote, overturning a lower court ruling.

A three-judge panel from The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth District lifted a preliminary injunction with a 2-1 decision against the law issued in August by a district judge.

“States possess the constitutional authority to set qualifications for voting in federal elections,” the appeals court held. “And all states require that federal voters be U.S. citizens.”

Ohio’s deadline to register to vote in the November General Election is Oct. 5.

In Ohio, voters must provide a driver’s license and the last four digits of their Social Security in order to register to vote.

“They must also attest under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens,” according to the ruling.

Ohio law also has a “motor voter” provision that allows a driver’s license application to also qualify as a voter registration application for federal elections.

Driver’s license applications and voter registration applications can therefore be “bundled” and submitted electronically, according to the appeals court ruling.

The law was challenged by groups as a civil rights violation that makes it harder to register to vote. But the appeals court disagreed, saying the state will likely prevail in its appeal.

“Huge legal victory for election integrity in Ohio tonight,” Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said in a statement. “Just got word that we effectively upheld our state law that ensures only U.S. citizens can register to vote in Ohio.”