Mo. High Court Strikes Down Voter ID Law:woohoo:
By KELLY WIESE
The Associated Press
Monday, October 16, 2006; 3:38 PM
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Supreme Court struck down the state's new voter identification law Monday that would have required voters to show a photo ID card at the polls starting this fall.
A lower judge ruled last month that the ID requirement was an unconstitutional infringement on the fundamental right to vote. The state Supreme Court agreed in a 6-1 unsigned opinion.
The new law would have required voters to show a photo identification card issued by Missouri or the federal government before they could cast a ballot. Voters lacking the ID would be allowed to cast a provisional ballot this fall, but after that, only the elderly, disabled and those with religious objections could vote without one, and only by provisional ballot.
The court found the requirement violated several provisions in the state constitution. The justices said requiring otherwise legitimate voters to obtain an appropriate ID imposed too great of a burden on their voting rights.
Supporters of the ID requirement said it was necessary to prevent voter fraud and increase confidence in the election process.
Opponents argued the ID requirement would disenfranchise the poor, elderly and disabled who may be less likely to have a driver's license.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/16/AR2006101600631.html