CHICAGO (AP) – Election officials and civil rights groups say an appeals court ruling means same-day voter registration will likely be available Election Day at Illinois polling stations.

The stay from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late Tuesday cancels, at least for now, a lower-court ruling halting the same-day registration option.

The appellate court still must hear the full appeal and its final ruling could still go against supporters of the provision. But ACLU spokesman Edwin Yohnka said Wednesday that the stay signals the higher court is inclined to side with proponents.

The ACLU and others argued that yanking the provision so close to the Nov. 8 election would unfairly deny voting rights to many citizens. But Republican-leaning groups argued the poll-level registration rules discriminated against GOP-leaning parts of Illinois.