On May 19, the Tenth Circuit expedited the lawsuit filed by Kansas and Arizona, over whether those states can force the federal government to alter the federal voter registration forms used in their states. The two states don’t like the federal voter registration postcard form because they say aliens may register to vote using the form. The form requires a signature under penalty of perjury, but the states want all applicants to attach proof of citizenship.

The three judges in the Tenth Circuit who expedited the case also stayed the U.S. District Court decision while the case is pending in the Tenth Circuit. The U.S. District Court Judge had refused to stay his opinion, and had ordered the form to be altered immediately. The three judges who have the case in the Tenth Circuit are Carlos Lucero (a Clinton appointee), Jerome Holmes (a Bush Jr. appointee), and Gregory Phillips (an Obama appointee).

Meanwhile, there are close to 20,000 unprocessed federal voter registration forms from Kansas alone. The Kansas primary is August 5. The case is Kobach v U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 14-3062. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.