A United States federal court has temporarily blocked an Ohio law that required residents to provide proof of US citizenship when registering to vote while obtaining a driver's license. The amended law, pushed by state Republicans, aimed to address unproven claims of voting by noncitizens.

On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, US District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr granted a preliminary injunction against the law. He ruled that the law likely violates the US National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) because it demands more information than necessary to determine voter eligibility.

“Election officials do not need documentary proof of citizenship to assess a voter registration applicant’s citizenship because signed attestation of citizenship is enough,” Judge Oliver wrote. He further stated that Ohio must allow applicants to register once they have submitted their driver’s license application, not after approval by the state’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).

Judge Oliver warned that interpreting the NVRA otherwise could make voter registration at the BMV more burdensome and potentially reduce registrations by eligible citizens.

Stafford, an attorney at Elias Law Group, commented, “With the registration deadline just weeks away, eligible Ohioans will now have the opportunity to register to vote at the BMV without having to produce unnecessary paperwork that is not required by federal law.”

This ruling comes amid ongoing debates over election security and voting regulations in the United States.

Sources