Ohio can require proof of citizenship when registering to vote at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, an appeals court panel ruled on Sept. 23.
The decision reversed an August ruling from Cleveland-based U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. and marked a win for Republican state lawmakers ahead of the competitive midterm elections.
"Huge legal victory for election integrity in Ohio tonight. Just got word that we effectively upheld our state law that ensures only U.S. citizens can register to vote in Ohio!" wrote Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose on X.
Ohio lawmakers passed a law in 2025 requiring registrars to offer voter registration only to people who provide proof of U.S. citizenship or had previously submitted citizenship documents to the
BMV. That had generally been standard BMV practice, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's office.
The Elias Law Group sued on behalf of the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans and Red Wine and Blue, a left-leaning advocacy group led by suburban women. They argued that the law made it harder to register to vote for new Ohio residents, older Ohioans and women who change their name for a marriage or divorce.
Judge Oliver agreed and blocked the law in August. But on Sept. 23, a Sixth District Court of Appeals panel reversed that decision in a 2-1 vote.
Judges Whitney Hermandorfer and John Nalbandian, appointed to the appeals court by President Donald Trump, ruled that Ohio's proof-of-citizenship requirement didn't prevent the individuals who sued from registering to vote.
The federal judges also ruled that blocking Ohio's new law forced Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles workers to overhaul its electronic driver's license application system and train employees on new rules at a cost of $1 million.
Judge Kevin Ritz, appointed by former President Joe Biden, dissented.
“Just because the named individuals were eventually able to register to vote does not mean they were not harmed by Ohio’s prohibition against offering a voter registration form to driver’s license applicants who fail to submit documentary proof of citizenship,” Ritz wrote.
Elias' Democracy Docket wrote: "In a country with no single, standardized system to prove citizenship, the new requirement could prevent voters from registering, and ultimately voting."
State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@usatodayco.com or @jbalmert on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Court rules Ohio can require proof of citizenship to register to vote
