A federal judge denied an Illinois attorney general's office request for him to reverse his decision halting same-day voter registration at polling stations.
A Thursday hearing in Chicago federal court lasted just minutes as Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan denied the request.
He ruled earlier this week that, as-written, the same-day registration options benefited Democratic strongholds, such as Chicago, and disadvantaged rural regions.
Lisa Madigan's office argued that yanking the option so close to the Nov. 8 election would unfairly deny some citizens voting rights.
But in a two-page written explanation Thursday explaining his latest ruling, Der-Yeghiayan says:
"This court did not restrict the rights of any voters. The legislation did."
Madigan's office will now appeal to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
