Voting rights group sues Missouri, election boards

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Voting rights advocates are suing Missouri and some local election officials, alleging that they have not followed federal requirements to register poor people to vote.

Federal law requires social service organizations to ensure that people who are applying for public aid are asked if they want to register to vote. The lawsuit says the state and other election officials have not done enough to meet those requirements.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, against the Missouri Department of Social Services and the election boards in St. Louis, Kansas City and Jackson County.