Decision In Voter Citizenship Appealed

Voting rights groups are appealing a judge’s decision requiring federal election officials to help Kansas and Arizona enforce state laws requiring new voters to document their U.S. citizenship.

A court filing on Friday sent to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals seeks review of this month’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren. The judge ordered the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to immediately modify a national voter registration form to add special instructions requiring proof-of-citizenship for Kansas and Arizona residents.

The appeal was made by more than a dozen voting rights groups and individuals who had earlier intervened in the case on behalf of the election commission.

Secretaries of State Kris Kobach of Kansas and Ken Bennett of Arizona, both conservative Republicans, sued the agency last year seeking the requirement.