JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A voter photo identification law has cleared the Missouri House of Representatives and is now before the state senate for consideration.
House Bill 48, sponsored by District 141 Representative Tony Dugger, would amend current state law to read, “Persons seeking to vote in a public election shall establish their identity and eligibility to vote at the polling place by presenting a form of personal identification to election officials.”
Among the allowable forms of photo identification listed in the bill:
- A non-expired Missouri driver’s license
- A non-expired Missouri non-driver’s license
- A non-expired document issued by the state of Missouri or the United States showing the individual’s name and photograph
- Any non-expired photo identification issued by the Missouri National Guard, United States Armed Forces, or United States Department of Veteran Affairs to members or former members of the Missouri National Guard or United States Armed Forces.
All polling places would be mandated to display a notice of the requirement for photo identification, if the law were to pass.
An individual without a photo ID could still be allowed to vote with a provisional ballot under this law, if he or she were otherwise qualified to vote and signed an affidavit stating he or she met one of the following requirements:
- The individual possessed a physical or mental handicap that did not disqualify him or her from voting, under Missouri law;
- The individual was unable to pay for a birth certificate or other supporting documentation necessary to obtain a photo ID;
- The individual held a religious belief against all forms of photo identification; or
- The individual was born on or before January 1, 1948.
Missouri traveled a similar legislative path in 2006; but lawmakers’ efforts were thwarted by the state Supreme Court, which said the Missouri Constitution did not permit a law mandating voters show photo ID at the polling booth.
A 2011 attempt at a voter photo ID law was vetoed by Governor Jay Nixon, who cited concerns about the disabled and elderly, who he said are less likely to have a driver’s license or government-issued photo ID.
This time, legislators have sought to assuage both the governor’s and the court’s concerns. The law would allow the elderly and disabled to vote via provisional ballot. And if it is passed, House Joint Resolution 5 proposed by District 141 Representative Tony Dugger, would place a constitutional amendment on the November 2014 ballot (or an earlier one, if Governor Nixon called a special election) permitting the state legislature to pass such a law. A 2011 attempt at a constitutional amendment was struck down by a Cole County circuit judge, who said the amendment summary that would appear on the ballot was “insufficient and unfair.”
HB 48 also contains a provision that would prevent the law from taking effect until Missourians approve the constitutional amendment. If the amendment is rejected, HB 48 could not be enforced.
According to Brandon Alexander, Legislative Assistant for Rep. Dugger’s, most legislators support a voter photo ID law. Additionally, Alexander said, most of the state legislators who ask about the possible law in their legislative surveys find constitutent support between 75 and 80 percent. He also cited a national poll conducted by the Washington Post in 2012 showing 74 percent of Americans support voter ID laws.
Considering the support for voter ID laws at the capital and popularly, it seems likely the bills will pass. If legislators approve both measures and are able to avoid or override a Nixon veto, Nov. 4, 2014 could be the last time Missourians can head to the ballot box and leave their photo IDs at home.
