A judge appointed by Bill Clinton just stopped Ohio from checking if voters are citizens. The decision came down on Tuesday. Now, people can sign up to vote without showing a passport or birth certificate. This ruling blocks a law that Ohio just passed to protect election integrity. It sounds like a simple fix, but the details are messy.
The judge in Cleveland is named Solomon Oliver Jr, according to the Washington Times. He issued an order that pauses the new rules. Fox News reported the stay means registrants do not need to prove their status right now. You can apply with just a signature. The law was meant to stop non-citizens from voting. Now that goal is on hold.
Oliver says the new rule goes against a 1993 federal law. That old law is called the National Voter Registration Act. It was passed during the Clinton years. The judge believes asking for extra papers breaks the rules. He wrote that signed words are enough to prove citizenship.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose disagrees with this view. He says the court got it wrong. According to reports, we have instructed our legal team to immediately appeal since we firmly oppose that decision. He wants to defend the state’s right to check voter rolls. The appeal will move fast.
The lawsuit was filed by groups that oppose the new law. One group is called Red Wine & Blue. Another is the Ohio Alliance of Retired Americans. They hired the Elias Law Group to fight the requirement. Ben Stafford from that law firm called the rule a barrier. He stated this is precisely the kind of government-imposed barrier the NVRA exists to prevent.
The clock is ticking on the Oct. 5 deadline. This date is for fall midterm elections. The judge’s order stops the state from asking for proof before that date. It applies to driver’s license offices too. People who want a license can register to vote without showing papers.
LaRose cited past cases where fraud went undetected. He points to the Franklin County case as proof. He believes more checks are needed to keep elections safe. Other states like South Dakota and Utah have similar laws.
This fight is about who gets to sit at the table. The judge says one form is enough. The state says we need more proof. The appeal process will take time. Washington Times notes this is part of a bigger national debate. Other states are watching closely.
The law states that “the voter registration application portion … for a driver’s license may not require any information that duplicates information required in the driver’s license portion of the form.” Oliver used this line to block the new check. LaRose argues Ohio has a duty to ensure only citizens vote. He said, “Ohio has a constitutional requirement to ensure that only U.S. citizens are voting in our elections.”
