A federal appeals court has agreed to quickly hear an appeal that could affect the voting rights of thousands of voters in Kansas, Georgia and Alabama.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia set on Wednesday an expedited schedule in the case of a U.S. election official who without public notice required documentary proof-of-citizenship on a federal registration form for residents of the three states. People in other states need only swear they are citizens.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., sided against a coalition of voting rights advocates who seek a temporary order overturning the move by Brian Newby, the executive director of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

The appeals court set deadlines for July and early August for the parties to submit written arguments.