A federal appeals court has refused to reconsider a decision allowing residents of Kansas and Arizona to register to vote using a federal form without providing proof of their U.S. citizenship.

Kansas and Arizona argued Tuesday they have a sovereign right to require proof of citizenship for voters in their states, even for federal elections.

A federal judge’s order backing Arizona and Kansas laws that require proof of citizenship for voter registration is “not the American way” and must be challenged, opponents said Thursday.

A federal judge this morning ordered the Election Assistance Commission to require would-be Arizona voters to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote.

The executive director of a federal commission with no commissioners is going to decide whether Arizona can require voter registrants who use federal forms to provide proof of citizenship.