Voter ID ruling could cause confusion

By Adam Rollins, Record Staff Writer
Posted 11/7/19

A Missouri judge’s decision to partially ban enforcement of a state voter ID law could potentially affect election workers and make it easier for some voters to cast ballots.That could impact that …

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Voter ID ruling could cause confusion

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A Missouri judge’s decision to partially ban enforcement of a state voter ID law could potentially affect election workers and make it easier for some voters to cast ballots.That could impact that outcome of elections headlined by a contentious U.S. Senate race and several statewide ballot initiatives.The ruling issued Oct. 9 bans election officials from enforcing a requirement that voters without a valid photo ID must sign a sworn statement and present some other identification in order to cast a regular ballot, The Associated Press reports. The injunction from Senior Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan applies to all elections in the state.Missouri’s top election official, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, has appealed the ruling and is asking a higher court to prevent the enforcement ban from going into effect.“The judge’s decision has injected mass confusion into the voting process just weeks before an important election — an action the courts historically and purposely have not taken,” Ashcroft said, adding that many local election authorities have already trained poll workers to require voters to sign a sworn statement.Elections in Warren County are handled by the county clerk’s office. Warren County Clerk Barb Daly said she is waiting for more information before making any changes.“As of now, we’re doing the same thing we’ve done before,” she said of the voter ID requirements. The Secretary of State’s office has been providing updates on the case, Daly said, and is seeking to prevent any change at least until after the election to avoid confusion.Missouri’s 2016 “Show It 2 Vote” law establishes three options for a voter to cast a ballot, depending on what form of identification they have. Voters can:1) Provide a Missouri-issued driver or nondriver license, U.S. passport or military ID;2) Show a different form of identification, such as a paycheck or bank statement, and then sign a sworn statement confirming their identity;3) Cast a provisional ballot that will only be counted if the signature matches the state voter registry, or if the voter returns with valid identification.Judge Callahan’s ruling doesn’t invalidate the entire law, only the requirement that voters without a valid photo ID must sign a sworn statement. Callahan said the wording of the sworn statement is contradictory and potentially confusing for voters.Missouri’s voter ID requirement was passed by the Republican-led Legislature in 2016 and approved by voters the same year. The law went into effect in 2017.Voter ID requirements have been pushed by Republicans in many states as a means of preventing fraud. They are opposed by Democrats, who contend that such laws can disenfranchise poor, elderly, disabled and minority voters, who are less likely to have the required photo IDs.Voter turnout


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