A Missouri judge is currently presiding over a trial to determine whether voters in the state will be required to present photo identification in order to cast their ballots in the upcoming 2024 elections. The trial, which began last week, involves a lawsuit brought by the Missouri League of Women Voters, NAACP, and two voters challenging a law passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature. The law, passed in 2022, mandates that voters show photo identification to cast a regular ballot.
Under the 2022 law, individuals without a valid government-issued photo ID can still submit provisional ballots, which will be counted if they return later with a photo ID or if their signatures are verified by election officials. However, a third voter has since joined the lawsuit, and the judge is expected to make a decision by the end of this week.
Previously, in October 2022, Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem rejected a lawsuit challenging the photo ID requirement. He ruled that the first two voters did not allege a specific injury or legally protectable interest in challenging the law. However, the new plaintiff, John O’Connor, a 90-year-old man from Columbia, Missouri, with poor vision and difficulty walking, brings a unique perspective to the case. O’Connor had an expired passport and driver’s license when the law took effect, and he later obtained a non-driver’s license with the help of his wife.
The lawsuit claims that officials accepted O’Connor’s expired driver’s license, despite guidance from the state Revenue Department that long-expired licenses are not acceptable forms of identification. The Missouri ACLU and Missouri Voter Protection Coalition added O’Connor to the litigation against the state, arguing that the law places unconstitutional hurdles on voting and suppresses turnout.
Republican Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office is defending the voter ID law. Ashcroft stated that no one has been denied a ballot because they didn’t have an ID and that his office will help anyone who needs an ID to vote. The state legislature previously passed similar laws in 2006 and 2020, but both were struck down in court.
Republicans argue that the 2022 law is aimed at deterring voter fraud, while the plaintiffs claim it restricts voting rights. During opening arguments, Assistant Attorney General Peter Donohue defended the legislation as a “common-sense law designed to uphold that sacred right” to vote. Experts testifying for the plaintiffs argued that instances of voter fraud are exceedingly rare and that many eligible voters in Missouri lack the required identification.
According to Kenneth Mayer, a political scientist from the University of Wisconsin, about 175,000 votes cast in St. Louis County and a significant number in other counties were by individuals without the necessary ID. Denise Lieberman, director of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, stated that more than 137,000 registered voters in Missouri do not have any ID on file with the state’s Department of Revenue, and an additional 140,000 have expired IDs that would not be eligible for voting.
Prior to the 2022 law, Missourians could present various forms of identification, such as a voter registration card, student ID, or out-of-state driver’s license, to cast their ballots. However, the new law has led to confusion among voters regarding the type of ID required.
The decision in this trial will have significant implications for voting rights in Missouri ahead of the 2024 elections. As the trial continues, both sides are presenting their arguments, with supporters of the law emphasizing the need for election integrity and opponents highlighting potential voter suppression. The judge’s ruling will determine whether photo identification will be a requirement for voters in Missouri, potentially affecting thousands of eligible voters in the state.
