A federal judge refused to put on hold his decision allowing hundreds of thousands of Florida felons who have completed prison or jail sentences to register and vote in this year's elections.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle turned down a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis' lawyers for a stay, as they challenge his felons-voting decision at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Hinkle last month ruled against the DeSantis administration in a battle over a 2019 state law aimed at carrying out a constitutional amendment to restore the voting rights of felons "who have completed all terms of their sentences, including parole and probation."