Ruling reignites voter ID issue

The U.S. Supreme Court decision over the voter ID law in Indiana has reignited the debate over identification in Missouri.

A Missouri Senate committee will meet on Monday to discuss the particulars of House Joint Resolution 48.

The proposal, if approved by voters in November, would amend the state constitution to allow lawmakers to pass laws requiring government-issued identification for voting in public elections.

“This (proposal) is not self-enacting,” said sponsor Rep. Stanley Cox, R-Sedalia. “A state statute has to be passed before we can require photo ID at the polls.”

Sen. Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City, helped pass voter ID legislation in 2006 that was struck down as unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court a few months after it went into effect.

“The Supreme Court ruled it was a burden to get the supporting documents to obtain a photo ID,” Scott said. “What we’re going to attempt is change the constitution so the state pays for non-driver IDs.

“We would not be paying for people getting driver’s licenses,” Scott said. “This is for a class of people who don’t drive and don’t have photo IDs.”
According to the proposal, the state would be responsible for providing “at least one form of the identification required to vote at no cost to any otherwise qualified citizen who does not already possess such identification and who desires the identification in order to vote.”

It is unknown how many people in Missouri lack a government-issued ID, but Scott said voter advocacy groups estimate the number is about 100,000 people.

Cox said he encountered only one woman from Pettis County who said she lacked identification and would be barred from voting if photo IDs become the norm.

“I told her that if this goes through, I’ll help her get an ID,” Cox said. “And I’ll help everyone in my district get an ID if this goes through.”

Cox and Scott could not say how much it might cost to pay for the photo-identification cards because this is just a constitutional amendment. Separate legislation would have to be passed and that would have a projected cost of implementation, Cox said.

Lawmakers have until Friday to pass the legislation, at which point the 2008 session ends for the state Legislature.

“In addition to the hearing, we are also having a meeting on Monday with the Democrats that worked on the 2006 bill to get the changes that we need to get done to avoid a filibuster,” Scott said.

A filibuster is a maneuver, such as a prolonged speech, that halts the progress of legislation.

Opponents of the proposal have said voter ID measures would disenfranchise minorities and the elderly.

Pettis County Democratic Party Chairman Bill Chapman said the party has no position on the voter ID constitutional amendment at this point.

“Having a photo ID to vote is the gold standard,” Scott said. “You need one to get on a plane, cash a check and apply for welfare. It will protect the integrity of the system.”