Judge: US election official violated law in voter form case

By ROXANA HEGEMAN
Associated Press

BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that a former high-ranking election official violated federal law in 2016 when he granted requests by Kansas, Georgia and Alabama to modify the national voter registration form to require documentary proof of citizenship in those states. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon threw out the contested decisions made by Brian Newby, who was then executive director of the Election Assistance Commission. The judge found Thursday that Newby failed to determine whether the proposed requirement was necessary in order to register to vote. The long-delayed ruling has little practical effect since a federal appeals court earlier granted a preliminary injunction in the case.