A federal judge said Monday he is unlikely to hear arguments in a lawsuit challenging a proof-of-citizenship requirement in a mail-in federal voter registration form used by Kansas, Alabama and Georgia until an appeals court panel that looked at the matter issues its written opinion.
The move by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon of Washington means it is unlikely that the requirement will be enforced for November’s elections.
A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit voted 2-to-1 Friday to order the states to treat any voter applications filed since January as if they did not include the requirement to produce documents showing citizenship.