On Aug. 25, a federal judge temporarily blocked an Ohio law that requires individuals registering to vote at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to provide documentary proof of citizenship.
Ohio is one of 12 states with laws requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration, though it is the only one where the requirement applies only to voters registering to vote at a motor vehicle agency. Ohio allows individuals to register to vote at the BMV when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or state identification card. Documents accepted as proof of citizenship include a birth certificate, passport, certificate of naturalization, or driver’s license or state ID card issued after April 2023.
Governor Mike DeWine (R) signed HB 54, which enacted the requirement, in 2025. Individuals registering to vote online or via a paper form are not required to provide documentary proof of citizenship.
