Missouri House tries again for photo voter ID requirement

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Republican Missouri lawmakers on Tuesday tried again to require photo identification to vote, a longstanding goal that's been thwarted by the courts.

The GOP-led House advanced a bill to change state law to require photo ID at the polls, as well as a proposed constitutional amendment to require picture IDs.

Missouri voters in 2016 amended the Constitution to allow lawmakers to require photo identification to vote. But the Missouri Supreme Court in 2020 permanently blocked a central provision of the 2016 law requiring voters who lacked a photo ID to make a sworn statement in order to cast a regular, non-provisional ballot.

In response, Republicans have been trying to pass a new voter ID bill similar to the 2016 law but doesn't include the sworn statement provision the judges found objectionable.

The proposal advanced Tuesday allows voters to cast a provisional ballot if they don't provide valid photo identification.

Valid forms of photo ID under the bill would include nonexpired driver's licenses, nondriver's licenses, or another government-issued photo ID.

Republican supporters said photo identification makes voting more secure and would instill trust in elections.

Democrats argued photo IDs only prevent voter impersonation, which they say is not an issue. St. Louis Democratic Rep. Rasheen Aldridge said the photo-ID requirement would particularly disenfranchise Black voters and other voters of color.

Republican Rep. Dan Shaul of Imperial dismissed potential difficulties in obtaining a valid photo ID.

"It's not an unsurmountable process. It can be done," he said.