A United States federal court has temporarily blocked an amended Ohio law that mandated proof of US citizenship from residents seeking to register to vote while obtaining a driver's license. In his ruling on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr granted a preliminary injunction against the law, arguing it likely infringes upon the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) by requesting excessive information for voter eligibility determination. The judge cited that election officials do not require documentary proof of citizenship to verify a registration applicant's status, as attested citizenship is sufficient. Judge Oliver also emphasized a provision in the NVRA stating that US states' driver's license applications should automatically serve as voter registration applications if the applicant fails to decline this option. Ohio, according to the judge, must allow applicants to register after they submit their driver's license application, rather than waiting for state approval. The original "motor-voter" law in Ohio was passed in 1995, allowing residents the opportunity to register to vote while applying for a driver's license. However, the law was amended last year by the Republican-controlled legislature, aiming to address unsubstantiated allegations of noncitizen voting in the state's elections. The ruling represents a triumph for voting rights advocates like Red Wine & Blue, who filed a lawsuit against Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose over claims that the law disenfranchised eligible voters and violated the NVRA. One of the group's lawyers, Ben Stafford, hailed the decision, calling it "a win for Ohio voters." However, Secretary LaRose's office disputes the ruling and plans to appeal.