LOUISIANA SUES FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION OVER REJECTION OF PROOF-OF-CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT ON VOTER REGISTRATION FORM. (PHOTO).

 Louisiana sues Federal Election Commission over rejection of proof-of-citizenship requirement on voter registration form

Louisiana has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Election Assistance Commission after the agency declined to approve the state’s request to add a proof-of-citizenship requirement to federal voter registration forms.

The dispute stems from a 2024 Louisiana law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. State officials asked the commission to allow additional Louisiana-specific instructions on the federal registration form, including requirements for applicants to provide either a unique immigration identifier or personal details such as place of birth, sex, and mother’s maiden name when available. The state said the information would help election officials verify citizenship through existing databases.

The commission split evenly on the request, resulting in a deadlock that prevented approval. The two commissioners who opposed the change said Louisiana had not demonstrated that the added requirements were necessary for determining voter eligibility. They also argued that federal law already treats an attestation of citizenship under penalty of perjury as sufficient for the national voter registration system, and said any major changes to those standards should come from Congress rather than an agency decision.

In response, Louisiana officials argue the commission exceeded its authority by rejecting the request, claiming the state has the right to implement measures it believes are necessary to confirm voter eligibility and enforce its own election laws. The state contends that federal restrictions on the registration form improperly limit its ability to administer elections under its own legal standards.

The lawsuit also challenges provisions of federal voting law that limit what information can be required on the national registration form, arguing those restrictions interfere with state authority over voter qualification rules. State officials describe the limitations as an improper federal intrusion into powers reserved to the states.

The federal commission has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.

At the same time, separate litigation is ongoing in federal court challenging Louisiana’s 2024 citizenship verification law itself, which voting rights groups argue imposes unnecessary barriers to voter registration and lacks evidence of widespread eligibility concerns.