Ohio judge pauses voter registration law at BMV

A federal judge has paused an Ohio state law that required proof of citizenship for individuals attempting to register to vote in person at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). Solomon Oliver, a judge for the Northern District of Ohio, cited the National Voter Registration Act in his decision, noting that requiring such proof could make the registration process more onerous and potentially reduce registrations among eligible citizens.

The ruling has intensified the race for Ohio Secretary of State. Republican candidate Robert Sprague and his campaign manager, Dalton Throckmorton, criticized the decision, arguing it undermines election security. Throckmorton also linked the ruling to Democratic nominee Allison Russo, claiming her platform seeks to dismantle state election security.

In response, Dennis Willard, communications director for Russo’s campaign, stated that citizenship is already verified during new voter registrations. Willard argued the court decision focuses on ensuring the BMV proactively offers registration to all eligible applicants rather than just those providing extra paperwork.