A federal appeals court has granted a stay of a lower court's ruling halting same-day voter registration at Illinois polling stations.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday also ordered the Illinois attorney general's office and lawyers for state Republicans to file briefs by Thursday on why the case should have an expedited appeal.
U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan ruled last month the same-day registration option as written benefited Democratic strongholds, like Chicago, and disadvantaged rural regions.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office argued yanking the option so close to the Nov. 8 election would unfairly deny some citizens voting rights.
Republicans sued in August, arguing the poll-level registration rules created an unfair and unequal system because voters in less populated and GOP-leaning areas of Illinois didn't have equal access.
