By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri lawmakers have taken another stab at requiring voters show photo ID to cast a ballot.
The state Supreme Court threw out the last attempt.
State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville believes this attempt will pass constitutional muster and the Republican defends the requirement against criticism from Democrats that it would disenfranchise some voters, especially minority voters.
“People have to show their photo ID to cash a check. They have to be able to show their photo ID to go through security in the airport. People should have to prove that they are who they say they are on Election Day,” Luetkemeyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “When somebody’s getting to cast a vote for the leader of the free world, we should at least have assurances that that person is who they say they are.”
He rejects accusations by Democrats that requiring photo identification to vote will suppress minority participation.
“We are making it as easy as possible for somebody to get a photo ID under this law,” according to Luetkemeyer. “We just want to make sure that on Election Day when people show up, they are who they say they are and that we’re securing our elections.”
Luetkemeyer points out the election reform measure approved by the legislature during the session in Jefferson City requires the state to provide proper identification for those who don’t have it, free of charge.
“It’s not even subject to appropriation,” Luetkemeyer says. “If somebody does not a valid photo ID, like a driver’s license or a passport, then one will be provided for them, for free, by the state, so that they’re able to cast their vote.”
Luetkemeyer says the bill goes beyond just the voter photo ID issue.
“We were able to prevent out-of-state billionaires, like Mark Zuckerberg, from pumping money into Missouri’s elections, trying to influence them,” Luetkemeyer says. “We put some prohibitions around that.”
A provision Democrats succeeded in adding to the bill will allow Missouri voters to cast an absentee ballot three weeks prior to Election Day without having to provide an excuse.
State Sen. Dan Hegeman, a Republican from Cosby, supports the provision allowing three weeks of no-excuse absentee voting and doesn’t see it as a benefit to Democrats.
“During my time as County Clerk in Andrew County, the election authority in Andrew County, both parties used the absentee voting equally,” Hegeman says. “I don’t see any benefit to one party other than that. It’s just convenient for people to be able to vote.”
Hegeman says dropping the requirement that voters explain why they’re voting absentee just makes sense and prevents some from having to fudge the truth.
“Some people seem to be out of the county every election for the past number of years,” Hegeman says. “At least that was my experience when I was an election authority in Andrew County.”
Hegeman says he is pleased to see the state requiring photo identification to cast a ballot.
The bill also bans electronic voting machines and mail-in ballots.